


Superwolf Brother

by robinleafs



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game), Life Is Strange 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Chris has a pink DS, Chris is Daniel's first love, Daniel and Chris go to middle school together and fall in love, Daniel is Chris's first crush, Daniel plays Tamagotchis, Daniel will star in a fucking Marvel trope, Emo Sean, Finn be desperately looking for Sean, Kick some ass in New York, Max Caulfield and Daniel Diaz are gonna be best buddies at some point, Max and Chloe are partners in life, Max has maternal instincts over Daniel, Max is a great sister, Multi, New York is gonna be his dance-floor, Parting Ways Ending (Life is Strange 2), Post-Parting Ways Ending (Life is Strange 2), SOMEONE JOIN THESE 2, Sean and Daniel text a lot, Sean is heartbroken, Sean needs his little cub, Sean struggles with tacos and beer, Sean wants to commit suicide, Superwolf and Captain Spirit against it all, What the gay is going on, Will Daniel and Sean reunite? That's the mystery, You guys are gonna love it, crime and love, little angst sorry!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:54:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 30,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27787090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinleafs/pseuds/robinleafs
Summary: "Once upon a time, in a wild, wild world..."In the ending where the Superwolf jumped out of the car to let his brother wolf live in peace, in the distant land of their papa wolf, he returns to the home of his ancestors to spend the rest of his life with his only family left and warmth, under the control of the evil hunters.Soon enough, a "once in a lifetime" offer from the hunters and the nation's system will catapult Superwolf to the chance to regain his country's trust, his freedom and hopefully reconsider where he truly belongs.
Relationships: Daniel Diaz & Chris Eriksen, Daniel Diaz (Life is Strange)/Original Character(s), Daniel Diaz/Chris Eriksen, Esteban Diaz/Daniel Diaz/Sean Diaz, Sean Diaz/Finn, Sean Diaz/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 14





	1. Denial

_______________________________________

Beaver Creek, US

One month after the events at the border

  
_______________________________________

He knew he had done right from the moment that he jumped out of the car. His heart, smashing and pounding inside his chest, reminded Superwolf that he was being a true brother. Even though he wanted to follow him to the warm country, even though he wanted to use his power and help Sean, he knew he needed to stay. He wasn't a criminal.

His brother needed to get out more than he did, and Superwolf had gladly helped him in his quest to the land of their papa wolf, but the hardships and the running were too much for him. He wouldn't go to jail. No one could possibly explain what he did, or how. There weren't any laws that authorized to say: "cause of death, telekinesis". The worst that the hunters could do to him was corner him in the home of his ancestors and let him pay his debts there.

Still, the little cub stood in the bed where he had slept with his brother months ago, somewhat colder than before. He would cry to himself at night, when he thought no one heard him. His fingers would search for that song that forced him to let it all out, like some type of therapy. Talking about it, mourning it, and remembering him would make the negativeness go away at last, hopefully.

He would play Milk&Bones from Natalie on his phone and muffle his sobs on the pillow, missing the one person that had loved him brutally. Yikes. He and their mother wolf had rushed all the way to the coyote cult, to save him from her selfish dreams. He would never forget that.

In that way, he spent the month after the events at the border. He would lock himself up in his room, avoid Claire and Stephen, the Eriksens, and generally everyone from the country that had come to visit. Letters from religious amateurs still flooded his mailbox, thanking a "miracle" for whatever they stated in their letters. They hoped they could see the young wolf again, touch him, take a photo. Instead, he wished they would never send him post again. Superwolf didn't want to be a savior for anyone, end of the story.

He had loved to be the savior of his brother wolf, in what seemed to be another life, and since he left, he felt his wish to live and not survive slip between his fingers. Or in other words, he had never used his power again. It was too hurtful.

Too many memories.

Suddenly, the knock of his bedroom door woke Daniel up. Confused and sleepy, he stood up from the sheets. "Yes?"

Claire carefully put a step inside, and leant against the door frame. She knew very well that her grandson didn't like any visitors he didn't want, so she always made sure to stay back and ask for his permission. Her faith and beliefs had always took her down a road that would never be able to explain the mysterious force that Daniel held, but wouldn't ask. It was okay, he was in her home and she would take care of him. "Rise and shine, honey. How's your wound? Any better?" She asked.

Daniel melted into a weak smile. "Better. Thanks." As his grandmother came closer, he shifted in the bed.

"I've made some pancakes for you, Dan. They're piled up on a plate in the kitchen. You should serve yourself some." She smiled croakedly. "Maybe we'll Skype your brother later on."

That definitely cheered him up. It showed by his sparkling white smile. Would Sean have found a laptop by then? He hoped so.

"Yes! Of course, I want to Skype Sean later!" He exclaimed, suddenly in a better mood. His feet searched for his superhero-themed slippers (a consolation gift from Charles Eriksen), and stood up from bed lividly. He aimed a bright glance to his grandmother and rushed past her in direction to the upper-floor aisle.

Claire smiled gratefully from the door, watching Daniel dart down the stairs with calmness. She closed the door behind her and followed.

Daniel took of his slippers with his toes and hopped onto one of the kitchen chairs, where he grabbed a pancake and placed it on top of his empty dish. Stephen had occupied the other chair, and was drinking his coffee in peace, breaking into a soft giggle when he observed his grandson display a good mood.

"You seem happy today."

"I am. Claire said we can Skype Sean later. If he can, of course." He announced proudly. Claire walked towards the fridge with a cocky smile, taking out the milk. 

"Good, because it's been a while since we saw you like this." He reminded with a satisfied expression. "It really brings out the best in you."

Daniel decorated his pancake with strawberry jam and creamy white cheese, sprinkling berries on top of the mixture. He then received nurture from his grandmother on top of his head, who sat down later.

"Of course he will have something. Puerto Lobos can't be that big, right? And if he still doesn't, we will pray that he finds a home soon. Shouldn't take him that much; besides, we can send him money. Can't we? Everything will be okay, little cub." Said Claire, stroking Danny's hand with care.

Daniel liked to be called that name by his grandparents. He had told them that he was reminded by his brother when told so, and Claire hadn't last long before starting to use it. Daniel didn't let anyone else use that name, though, it was exclusive for the family.

"He will, I know he will find something. When we ran away together a few months ago, Sean was really good at these things. He goes on about how it was just luck and good people, but he's a great survivor." Commented Daniel with a proud voice. Of course, he loved and trusted his older brother, and knew he would make it. If he had done so much with a brat like him, he was unstoppable on his own.

"But of course. He did a good job with you if you had decided to let him live a peaceful life. On your own!" Stephen commented. "Not every kid can say that. It was so mature and nice of you to take that into consideration. He will be just fine." He added with a smile.

Daniel looked at them both before grinning peacefully. That was something, at least.

"It's... It's been a month, Danny. The Eriksens have been asking about you... You know it. Did you get Chris's letter that Sean received at the hospital, in summer?" Asked Stephen carefully.

Daniel's expression died down a bit. He still hadn't recovered from having broken his trust in the winter they spent in Beaver Creek. Had Captain Spirit forgiven him for making a delusional being out of him?

Anyways, the Reynolds had got him covered. They made sure to remind the Eriksens that Daniel suffered post-traumatic episodes and that he needed rest and silence to get through. Charles nor Chris insisted again after a couple times.

"Yes, we received it. Ever since we left Beaver Creek, I've clutched onto the toy he gifted us like nothing I've owned." Dan commented with a weak tone. "And the letter, I don't really need it anymore. I've read it so many times that I can recite it by heart." He said.

"Well, Danny... Don't you think the kid wants a response? ...Don't you feel like throwing him a bone here?" She asked with a worried tone. "He missed you a lot, honey. You were very special to him."

"I know. I just... Don't know how to apologize for having lied to him." He added, folding the pancake. Then he grabbed the cutlery.

"I don't think he holds a grudge against you anymore..." Said Stephen. "Just make sure he gets a word from you when you're ready, yeah? I'm sure he will be very upset if he sees you hanging around in town and ignoring him."

"I won't. I want to talk to him, not the others." Daniel defended himself. "I wish I could drop by his place right now. I'm just... Finding the words." He said before munching on his strawberry-flavoured pancake.

"Okay, Dan. No pressure." Claire smiled, hiding her deceivement.

The three of them drowned in a calm silence as the youngest member tasted his delicious breakfast. Stephen brought the mug to his lips as Claire spread butter on her slice of bread.

After breakfast, Superwolf was told to go and brush his teeth and change into suitable wear. Daniel finished washing his face five minutes later and threw the towel into the laundry basket with a flick of his wrist. "Claire? When will we call Seanie?" He asked with a loud tone.

"After we get back from church, probably. You've got enough time to get your thoughts together and draw, dear." She muffled from downstairs.

"Okay, Claire. Thanks." He said while crossing the aisle. "Can I use the Playbox?"

"Do as you wish, dear. Just take your dirty clothes to the laundry before you do so. I would be very grateful."

"Fine!" He announced lividly.

Then Daniel walked into his bedroom and sat on his bed, hands gripping the window corners. His head tilted towards the place he was still unable to visit, and flinched when he saw a blonde boy cross the backyard in direction to his favourite hideaway. His heart started beating faster at the sight of it, but despite that, he opened the window a few centimetres and accommodated himself on top of his pillows. Then he held his chin with a hand and stared towards his neighbor, Chris Eriksen.

Or also known as the mighty and unforgettable, lord of the good and the only bearable memory of his hectic runaway adventure, Captain Spirit.

Sometimes he wished he could take the device of his ankle off, and wander about in the forest. He would lay down next to the lake, chill out to the sound of the birds chirping and look at the sky...

Too bad he couldn't do anything about it. He was a minor, and he had acted like a criminal, stealing and hurting and assaulting. Maybe he was one, after all. Thinking about how it could've been better sticking along to his older brother killed him inside, so he oftenly stopped himself from thinking about it.

He tried to focus on what he had before his eyes: a blonde, creative and oblivious kid to the dangers of the world. Daniel credited Chris for maintaining his child inside, fuelling him with creativity and unrealistic superpowers that once upon a time had existed in his mind. He was also very charming, always helping the ones in need, taking care of the household chores and smiling like he had no worries at all.

He could try some Chris vibing for a change. Or quit the guiltiness and finally bring his ass next to him.

"Maybe later." He reminded himself for the tenth time.

Chris proceeded to walk towards the livid and bright tree, his red cape flying after him. Daniel chuckled softly, loving it that his old friend had still hold onto that fun habit of his, despite loosing the hope of finally adopting a true superpower like he always dreamed of. His eyes, grey with a soft shade of blue, looked towards the wooden planks before starting to climb them with bravery, careful not to fall. Daniel watched him carefully, paying attention whether to step in action or not, just in case his clumsy feet betrayed him. His head popped up from the entry of the wooden house, on top of the tree, and crawled his body to the upper surface, dropping dead on it.

Superwolf finally exhaled calm, looking at Chris with soft and deep eyes, almost with charm. A soft pink colour decorated his cheek as he observed his friend get up and take a walkie out of a carton box, acting like he was talking to some Roger, or Rover, whatever his name was, about the whereabouts of Mantroid and his evil plans.

Daniel fought hard not to open the window completely and jump towards the backyard.

"Commander Ten, the coordinates, please. Mantroid's fleet shows a suspicious activity on the planet. But don't let any more recruits into the planes; this is Captain Spirit's job now." He said with a determinant voice. Daniel listened closely.

Chris acted like he was the only pilot of a spaceship and sat down, turning an invisible wheel to the direction that he pleased, tilting his body as he did so. Dan instead, watched with sparks in his eyes how the boy fed his own imagination with acoustic elements and invented dialogues.

Slowly, he pulled away from the window and crawled off the bed, trying to get the golden gem out of his head. If he kept staring at Chris like that, he would never get over his fright. Then he exited the room, closing the door behind him and facing his own house again, heading down the stairs, in direction to the living room. There, he noticed a distorted picture frame he must've missed out the first time he came with Sean. He extended his hand before him and fixed it, analyzing later on the tidy room he perceived.

"The phone." He grinned, turning around to jump over the couch, bringing his new greyish smartphone  
to his hands with just flipping his wrist. It was one of the best things about having his superpower. Superwolf didn't need to be lazy: he got everything he wanted by just snapping his fingers.

Staring at the black screen, his fingers started to tremble. The anticipation about this moment over the past month was devouring him inside; the fright that things might not be the same anymore, took his sleep away and made him miss Sean even more. Did he settle down? Did he find a home, or a flat at least? Would he be sharing a job and money with other stray people, like they had back in Humboldt?

Daniel stood up and looked at the opened envelope that he had received two days ago, and his heart started to beat faster because of it. Sean, his brother, had bought himself a second-hand smartphone (a great opportunity) and had delivered him the number by mail. When Superwolf read his letter, he could only drown in relief. Being thousands of kilometres away was more than enough already.

This was the big moment. He had kept postponing the day he first talked to him because he felt his stomach flip at the though of it, but right then, he didn't want to wait anymore.

Daniel: Hey, dude! What are you doing?

Sean: typing...

When he read the typing from his brother, his heart jolted with joy. He was there, and available! Did he receive any news from new houses in Puerto Lobos he could afford?

Sean: I'm alright, little cub. I'm staying over at a very nice lady's house, working in exchange for a free room. I hope I can find something, though...

Daniel felt the water pile up in his eyes. It felt so, so, so good to hear from his lovely brother again. He felt like reaching the sky and beyond every time he reminded himself that he was there, and alive. It didn't matter if he was far down in Mexico, as long as he was okay and breathing. After all, they had gone through much worse together.

Daniel: Don't worry, bro. You'll get something, I know it! I'm getting a lot of love from Claire and Stephen, so don't worry for me.

Sean: It's good to hear that you're doing well :) I love you a lot, Danny

Daniel felt his eyes start to cry as he read those words, his heart start to flutter with a safe sensation, and his mind calm down at the fact that his brother was alive and taken care of. Even if it was a lady that only wanted his money.

Daniel: I love you too, very much... I miss you everyday. I can't believe you're down there...

Sean: I miss you too, little cub. I wish you were here, sometimes. I want to hold you and squeeze you for a bit... Oh, why didn't you choose Mx? I miss your whining and tantrums. Did you talk to Chris?

Daniel started to cry in his seat, sobbing softly. His hand gripped the phone firmly, allowing himself to take a break off the conversation while he processed the fact that his brother was okay. He was fine, he was doing it. He had successfully travelled down to Mexico and was starting to make money. Daniel let hot tears travel down his cheeks, releasing his intense emotions at last. A bittersweet mixture of relief and nostalgia got stuck in his heart, making him cry more.

He was okay. Fuck. He was alright, and they could talk again, even if they couldn't be next to the other the whole day. It was something bearable, something that worked for Daniel. He could never live without his brother in his life, but with modern technology and social media, it would be less hurtful. He knew for sure.

Sean: Danny? U there?

Daniel: Yeah, fuck, I'm sorry. I cried when I read you were okay.

Sean: I'm sobbing already, enano. I'm still able to type, unlike you!

Daniel chuckled, covering his eyes with his palm as he let out a depleted sob. How could it be possible to have such strong feelings, such solid love towards someone that had ignored him in Seattle? He had been afraid that his brother wouldn't play with him anymore, that they wouldn't talk or laugh or sleep together. The last months, though, had made up for a whole life and the feeling of being apart. It was worthy being apart from him because it had been so fucking intense. He loved Sean. He had always felt that, even though he low-key hated him for being so oblivious to his interactions.

When Sean had yelled those beautiful things over the mess that Lizbeth's husband was making out of him, punching and hitting and hurting him while his brother talked bliss about him, made him want to go back and punch himself in the face. He had dreamed of his brother standing up for him like that, with claws and teeth out, for too long. He had missed their times together so much until it ached. And when Sean finally had, he was thinking about leaving him for another family.

That thought made him sob even more.

Daniel: Shut up, I can do both!

Sean: Yeah, alriiiight. So, did you talk to Chris?

Daniel: Why is everyone asking me that?

Sean: You haven't? Gosh, go and talk to your friend!

Daniel: I know, I know! I'm just thinking about what I should tell him.

Sean: Enano...

Reading his older brother calling him enano reminded him of their road trip. Superwolf had been too used to hearing it, that in the present moment, he kind of missed it.

Sean: Enano, I know you feel terrible about the lie I told you not to drag along. But trust me, he feels worse about you, than you do about him.

He could be right. It could totally be that way, him being too sad about the matter that he was ignoring that the kid, with the police behind his ass and a brother that could be taken away from him forever, was himself.

It was selfish to think about it that way, though. Sean had been right. Chris could've got hurt, and he almost did if it wasn't because Daniel was there when it happened.

Daniel: Okay I will... I promise.

Sean: Good, enano.

Daniel: Sean..?

Sean: Yes?

Daniel: I need to hear your voice. It's killing me...

Sean: I think we would be both crying. No one would understand what the other says, my little cub.

Daniel: I don't care. I want to feel you closer, because you're so fucking far away.

Sean, who was all the way down in Mexico leaning against a stack of dirty stairs, putting up with spanish bickering and annoying commands followed by "chinga tu madre", bit his lip while another heavy tear made him sob again. Like his face wasn't a mess already from crying. When he got the message from his little brother, he was already crying heavily. It hurted that he was unable, even if he died to, to go and snuggle into his brother's slim arms. Their father Esteban, would've loved to see them like that, so happy and united. Even if they were separated by kilometres of land. If he could just catch a snippet of their connection now, he wouldn't recognize their usually confronted sons who would fight over every stupid thing.

Because now, Sean and Daniel Diaz were fucking inseparable, and literally hurt themselves for each other in middle of their road trip, doing the unimaginable to stick together as the wolf brothers.

Like their father had once said: He needs you. But then, Dad was also wrong with that. Sean also needed him, the Superwolf, the baby cub. His body and his soul hurt because of it, and he hadn't even gone a single day without thinking about his fragile but empowered little brother.

Sean: Of course, my little cub. We always can. And even if I'm dying here, brutally tired or unable to keep my eyelids open, I'll be there. You listen to me?

Daniel: Yes.

That felt good. A lot.

Sean: I will come to you. Over and over again, my enano.

Daniel smiled, against his tears. He nodded, mostly to himself, reminding himself that this is the life he wanted. A life with Sean in it. Even if it was just a call a week, or month.

After asking his older brother if they could Skype each other later, and receiving his agreement, Daniel happily blocked his phone and connected the speakers to the device. Danny felt like dancing; he felt like a happy wolf! Everything was possible then. He typed "The Melancholy Hill", one of Sean's favourite songs, and started to move, along to the bittersweet rythm of it, and later on along to Bloc Party's "Banquet", which they had danced their first night in a motel, and lastly, the song Sean had been hearing in order to prepare for his date, On The Flip of a Coin.

As he danced, he felt his brother's favourite songs give a nice makeover to it all, mostly Danny's soul that needed reassurance and nurture after a long series of traumatic events, and the physical lack of his beloved brother.

Two hours later, he had finished munching on another two or three pancakes, and had raised his spirits up with his brother's favourite playlist. He felt better. Nicer. And, for the first time since the events at the Mexico border, he felt like the dust was settling down.

______________________________________

"Dear, that looks amazing." Claire said with a smile, dropping the grocery bag on top of the kitchen. Stephen tossed the keys into the plate and proceeded to feed the fish, grunting a lazy hello. "That must be the fourth of fifth picture about Chris so far."

Daniel was drawing a picture of himself standing in his bedroom window, staring at Chris in the distance while he moved objects around, helping Captain Spirit defeat Mantroid and his fleet. He blushed when his grandmother smirked at the picture. "G-Grandma..!"

"Are you sure you're not dying to talk to Chris, honey?"

Daniel's blush turned brighter, placing both of his hands above the picture. "W-Whatever! It just crossed my mind..."

"Okay, okay... I'll just pretend not to think you actually stalked your friend before." She laughed, walking away.

Daniel rolled his eyes, red to the tip of his head. Claire chuckled at that, before asking her grandson to help and put the groceries in the fridge and storage. As Daniel tossed the red colour pencil on top of the table, he stood up and helped put the food away in cupboards and shelves.

Debating whether to put the spaghetti pack on the right or the left, he thought about the letter he had snatched away while he had jumped out of Karen's car. The two piece of papers which their mother had written down, meant to be sent to the Reynolds, still had remained in her RV some time before the wolf brothers left Away. Back in the events that occured at the border, Daniel knew he was going to do the correct thing, so had kindly and brokenheartedly left one of his toys, his magic writing pad (writing down "I love you, Sean") in Sean's backpack, as an amulet, and had stuffed their mother's letter into one of his pockets, folded into pieces.

Then, he was just waiting for a suitable moment to tell them they had met with their mother and had talked things through. Most of them. Maybe having Sean by his side then would've helped him do it successfully. But instead of starting that delicate conversation, he just confessed his brother's update.

"You know what? Sean's doing just fine in Mexico." He commented proudly.

"Oh, darling... Why did you do that?" Claire asked, alarmed. Her eyes dropped their glimmer to adopt a darker look.

Superwolf elevated his look, confused. What? What did he do wrong? Would the police bust him for that? Seriously?

"Danny, you should've waited for us..! He could've been in danger or something. How could've you possibly helped?" Stephen said with a worried tone. "He could've got hurt or broke or was trying to ask for help..!"

Daniel melted into a pitiful expression, feeling somewhat guilty.

"I'm sorry, man... I didn't know, I just wanted to check up on him. I was dying to do so."

"I thought we were going to do it together..." Claire clarified. "That's all. I mean, we waited two days until you got your own cellphone, and when you get it... Whoosh."

"I know, grandma. I'm sorry." Daniel apologized. Claire accepted his apology, placing the kilogram of lentils in the upper cupboard. Stephen finished taking care of the fish and chuckled.

"So, are you ready for Ship, Captain and Crew?" He asked with a smile.

They always played that table game on Sundays, after Claire and Stephen had attended church. It was a little habit of theirs to make Daniel feel more comfortable and adapted. Plus, it brought back nice memories that Superwolf liked to recall.

"Yeah! Of course. Let me finish putting this down and we're on it." He said lividly.

"Okay, then. Just let me get out the game from the backyard's storage room." He said, slipping his grandson's drawing into his pockets as he passed by.

When Stephen, his wife and his grandson had gathered around the coffee table next to the fire, Claire was taking out the cardboard game and a set of dice. They had borrowed it from a ludo game that they hadn't taken out in ages, and had lost a yellow chip. Stephen proceeded to read the instructions, as he oftenly forgot the dynamic of the little game.

In the meanwhile, Daniel was staring towards a blank point of the room, his eyes looking towards the telephone on the other side of the room, while his mind recalled a time when he and his brother wolf had played a simple game inside the secret cabin of the woods. That night when he couldn't stop coughing, and Sean had decided that the best for them was probably moving on to Beaver Creek. A night where Mushroom, that innocent and loyal puppy, was still alive. For one moment, he had thought about the three of them as a family.

Dude! I saw it flip...

Yeah, that's because you're throwing the dice.

What? You're cheating, c'mon!

He chuckled in a defeated way, not realizing that he had been used to seeing the sun set and rise in that remote place for a month or two. Superwolf hadn't known back then, but he had been minimally happy for a while. Sean, who had soon adopted an extra role besides the brother one, would go out almost every four or five days and hunt for food, make it against evil predators and coyotes, and come back with supplies. He even remembered the time that he got mad at Sean for leaving him alone, in a time that he got scared that maybe, caused by a glitch in his mind, could've been the last time they saw each other. And that scared the shit out of Daniel.

Even now, it was impossible not to dwell on the little things that had made him love Sean, even more, in their epic and intense, year-long road trip. It hurt sometimes, to think about those things and remember himself that he wasn't dead, but thousands of kilometres away instead. It still meant that he wasn't there. It still ached.

After half an hour of a succession of winners, in which they shared laughs and complaints from the married couple (Daniel's powers, what else?) as well as grunts and livid exclaims, they got tired of the game and it was time for lunch.

The woman was starting to boil water on a pan with the bag of lentils at the side, preparing the sliced carrots and red pepper to boil with the rest. Daniel was fiddling around with the new Macbook that the Reynolds had gifted him, in order to suppress his sadness with something new. He was downloading Skype on it, putting as his homescreen wallpaper an old photo of him and Sean that they had taken with David's phone. Sean, with his new cellphone, had sent the photo over to his mail so that he could keep the immortal moment for ever.

It was a selfie where they both held the camera, on the canyon in Arizona. Superwolf's smile was real, true. He had remembered not having shown that type of emotions since he got his Playbox in Seattle, or the first time he did a complete spin in the ice skating rink. Sean's eyes were different, too. Or should he say, his remaining eye: he didn't yet knew what it meant, but it was a similar look that Dad gave both of them. It was like... Sean had finally started loving him like more than a brother. How their father Esteban would, something of the sort.

Like Finn would usually say, that was some 'deep shit'. Daniel thought about it lately.

Suddenly, the bell rang. The abrupt noise disgracefully scared little Daniel, who remembered that same time when they were being chased down by the police and almost got caught.

"Don't worry, Danny. It's just some neighbour with bread or a survey." Claire clarified the situation for her grandson, who had shifted almost automatically in his seat and was looking around with puppy eyes.

The woman checked the peephole before cautiously opening the door, commanding her husband Stephen to check on the boiling food for her.

Daniel tilted his body towards the door, leaning on the hallway. He didn't see any visible person, besides Beaver Creek's landscape through the door frame, and shifted with deceivement.

"Oh, what do we have here?" Claire asked with a curious voice. She then bent over the porch and picked up something from the ground, revealing a closed envelope that Daniel couldn't inspect furtherly. He stepped back and jumped to his seat again.

Claire's voice resonated through the hallway as she came closer to the living room. "Beaver Creek, number ten... Oh! This one's for you, my dear." She finished with a happy exclaim, dropping the envelope in front of her confused grandson.

"You sure this isn't Haven Point mail, right? I don't want to receive their post." He asked with a lack of trust, debating whether to open the letter or not. He could imagine having to bleach his eyes after reading some miracle statement about him again.

"I don't think so. The person sending this is closer than you imagine." She chuckled, having taken off the stamp before her grandson could judge.

Daniel, who was slightly more relieved now, ripped the envelope open, and retrieved the content from the yellow material. He gasped.

"Oh, no way." He blushed wildly. His hand trembled a bit as his eyes scanned the paper that was directed to him. Claire swinged by to check the letter, and let out a vivid laugh.

"What's there to it now?" She exclaimed, pouring the lentils into the hot water. She then picked up the wooden tray and pushed the vegetables into the soup with a knife.

Daniel's eyes didn't betray him, it was real: a seemingly new piece of paper, carefully folded in half, showed a scene where a confused Daniel was searching for his friend with his eyes, towards the tree house. What he didn't see though, was that Captain Spirit was peacefully watching him from the top of his own roof, smiling in his direction. In the picture, he wore his red cape and a blue eye mask, and his feet were swinging off the roof, with some fancy boots he didn't recognize.

Daniel's blush only turned redder, as he swallowed the fact that Chris had held his picture in his hands an hour or two ago. He could already picture the puzzle in his neighbors's face before hurrying over to sketch something in return for him.

"Man, I tried so hard to play it mysteriously..!" He whined.

"Doesn't seem like that anymore." Chuckled Claire, who was spinning the soup in circles with a wooden spoon.

"What is it?" Stephen asked curiously, smiling because of the humor atmosphere.

Suddenly, Daniel's eyes widened like a frog.

"But of course! This is all about the missing drawing! Stephen?!" Superwolf whined in his grandparent's direction.

"It doesn't matter anymore, you big baby. Chris feels you, that is what truly matters." Stephen said to his defense. And his grandson's too, after all.

And it was true. Since he came back to the Reynolds, he had neglected letters, visits and friends who had come over to see him, even Sarah Lee and her brother Jake's invitation to come and spend a day or two. He hadn't wanted anyone around, any other face that wasn't Claire's or Stephen's wasn't invited, and lastly, Lizbeth's unexpected visit one or two weeks ago almost turned the household upside down.

That harlot had dared to come over, and claim that she had done a mistake that she wanted to clear. She admitted that she had been kicked out of her church but had her reasons. Lizbeth even had papers where she gladly adopted him as her former son, and insisted on 'making things right again', that she had been right about Sean, that it would just be a matter of time before he came to his 'senses'. Claire had asked who on earth was she and how she had found their home, and Stephen tried to calm the woman down. It had all ended up with Daniel coming out to the street, stop in front of a desperate Liz to her knees, and spit in her face.

"Don't ever come to my house again and pretend that we even know each other. You disgust me, everything my brother said about you was real. Just recalling a time where I trusted you makes my stomach turn." Daniel neglected her with a voice full of poison, disgust, and hatred. "Don't ever compare yourself to Sean, my mother, or anyone important to me. Bitch." He finished, practically spitting the word.

Like he would ditch being Chris's neighbour to copy down phrases of the Bible in the middle of the desert.  
He'd pretty much spend the rest of his life being unable to see Sean again instead of living with that bitch.

There, right then, was the first time he actually felt like he wanted to see someone. Even if it just was his shy neighbour that he hadn't known for more than a day back in December, and whose trust he had undermined by making him believe he had something powerful in common with his so-called alter ego, Captain Spirit.

"I guess I'll have to bring my butt over to his place someday." He rolled his eyes with a smile, murmuring mostly to himself. Then he put the drawing back into the envelope and closed it, staring out of the window towards Chris's tree house, still visible from where he stood. He glanced over to his laptop screen, where Skype was being installed, and tapped the keyboard with his fingers patiently.

Twenty minutes later he was filling in his profile, and was called to set the table up for lunch. He blocked the laptop and placed it on top of the couch, placing the envelope inside before starting to help. Then he put Stephen's glasses and his book away, placing the cutlery and glasses of water instead.

Finally, the three of them were slurping in the lentil soup with their spoons while listening to the news on their TV. A woman was starting the program with some New York riots against the new adjustments in the law, some deaths and some famous basketball player finally retiring to his house in Michigan.

Halfway through his bowl, though, he heard a reporter start to recall old wounds by announcing the events at the Mexico border. Claire dropped her spoon and aimed for the remote, but Daniel had already lifted it into the air, listening carefully to the television. Superwolf's face slowly tilted towards the reporter, his eyes starting to widen.

"It has been a whole month since the events that happened at the western side of the mexican border, involving the two fugitive teenagers, Sean and Daniel Diaz, when the youngest of the brothers turned himself in while helping his older brother escape to the mexican country, after almost a year of persecution and a long list of crimes."

"Darling, you don't need to hear this." Claire said with a worried expression, tilting towards her grandson.

"Shush." He interrupted.

"Judges condemned Daniel Diaz, aged 10, to house arrest in Beaver Creek where he resides with his family, while the older brother couldn't be subjected due to his escape towards Mexico, in what was considered to be a criminal prosecution culminating in an illegal runaway and crossing of the border thanks to his younger brother's collaboration."

"Many scientists have gathered in a national scientific institute in New York to study the nature of the ability acquired by Daniel Diaz, piling up a wide range of theories and laws revolving around what many scientists and comic lovers would call "mental superpowers" or "telekinesis". A press conference will be held by the main brains of the institute's study where they will give more information about the matter."

"What a bunch of ass kissers, for God's sake! No one, in this wide world could still be able to explain those things, yet elaborate a universal theory about it. All they want and get is money from the drama. They don't even know what it is, and it's already a trend. Who the hell are they?" Claire exclaimed, incensedly.

"It's how the world works. Children should know about all this; the sooner, the better." Daniel replied, monotonously.

But his eyes were already sparkling with hanker. Daniel focused, sorrowfully, towards the television as the images of the destruction at the Mexico border occupied the screen, succeeding at giving Daniel Diaz, one of the two fugitive brothers from Seattle, the image of an armed and dangerous public threat that would wreck anyone with a simple command of his muscles.

Basically a conspirational weapon that had gone nationalised after a series of unfortunate events.

Daniel never thought he would be popular or famous at life, even less at a national scale. But the worst of it all, was the dangerousness and intimidation revolving around his name. He expected to be admired for something he was good at; drawing, skating, even gaming. Daniel hoped to be applauded by his skills. He wished to be patted on the back by co-workers, not policemen. Now it was too late to start over, or go back to Seattle and pretend no one would be scared of him. Because he was worse than Mantroid now. Worse than the police officer who had shot his father.

He should've known better when Sean advised him not to show off his powers, and would have avoided being known nationally as a "serial attacker" on the run.

Life had only made him lucky that Chris didn't watch the news. And on his behalf, Charles was too basketball-biased (drunk, who were they going to lie to) to care. The Eriksens were a little hippy-like family that liked to avoid knowing about other's businesses and liked staying in their zone, apart from the world and stuff other than taking care of each other. Especially after Sean's and Daniel's stay had taught them the importance of sticking together as a family, more than flat pals.

Was Sean really right when he had told little Superwolf that they were not criminals?

"Sorry, I need to use the bathroom." Daniel said, dropping the spoon over the table. He got up with a blank face.

"Oh my God, son, are you okay?" Stephen asked, very worried. "Your face is completely white." He stood up a bit as he said so.

"Yeah, just give me a minute. I won't run away, don't worry. This stupid device would kill my ears." Daniel reassured, pointing towards the thick ring pressuring his ankle level. Yeah, a house arrest came in with a lotto of surprises.

He excused himself from the table and rushed into the bathroom, where he closed the door and lifted the toilet lid before throwing up.

\---------------------------------------------------------

A couple of hours later, Daniel was tucked into a blanket and was resting over the couch. It seemed like the hall itself was recovering from the drama that had infected the air some time ago, at lunch, and was now resting in peace for the rest of the evening. Claire had offered him a mug of hot cocoa which Daniel kindly refused, and was soon watching an old episode of Hawt Dawg Man on the television that he really just watched for the sake of acting like a normal kid. As normal as he could pretend to be.

"You sure you don't want to drink anything, dear?" Claire asked with a worried tone. It was clear that she didn't understand what was going on in Daniel's mind.

"Yes, Claire, thanks." He replied with a weak tone. What he couldn't manage to say, though, was that he felt guilty when he received any type of nurture or signs that someone gave a fuck about him. He felt unworthy of his grandparent's will to take care of him after everything he went through trying to protect Sean from jail. He couldn't bring himself to enjoy something so simple like staying still and letting his family watch out for him in peace. It was like he needed to measure everything he deserved, in order to feel enough for what he received. So instead, he just watched the cartoons of an antropomorphic hot-dog that saved the world from bullies and villains in silence, not bothering to care about the prejudices that assaulted him.

But Daniel didn't really fancy those things anymore. Not Hawt Dawg, his superhero-themed possessions or his various gifts for his 'Welcome Back' party. He wanted other things now. It was funny how, only almost a year ago, he had gotten into an argument with Sean because of a stupid Chock-O-Crisp. It was also ridiculous that they had fought because of a stupid watch, or the movie for the night, or a million other things that seemed to be trascendental in another life. A life that seemed millions of years away.

Maybe if he hadn't been so obsessed with bothering Sean with things that he knew weren't suitable anymore for his age, or showing off his "fake blood" last Halloween, or hadn't been so clumsy to spill that stupid corn syrup in Brett's shirt, Dad would've...

Daniel pressed his eyes shut, denying with his head. He shouldn't be thinking about those sort of things, and less in his type of situation. It wasn't responsible. He was away from Sean, under house arrest, with a different life now. He had to focus on his new deal, get used to the life he received for his actions, and live with it. 

"Shall we check up on Sean, see if he can call us now?" Asked Stephen, finally breaking the ice after some tense minutes and bad jokes between Hawt Dawg and Mustard. Had he really been fond of that show's humor?

"Sure." Daniel replied, his eyes recovering some glitter. "Let's see him, finally." Even though the idea of seeing his brother cheered him up, that didn't erase completely a new sensation that oppressed his chest.

Claire smelled that while she stood up to grab her grandson's laptop. Stephen shared glances with her while she picked her gadget, both agreeing that their poor little son had started to grow some side effects and strong behaviour change that were absolutely not normal in a ten year old.

His laptop was placed in front of him when Daniel groaned. "You know you don't have to treat me like an emperor, right? I would like to have some autonomy, at least to get up and dwell over my decisions." He said with furrowed eyebrows.

Stephen cleared his throat, glaring over at his wife. "S-Sure, son. Don't worry. We just want to protect you." Claire nodded at this, grabbing his hand.

But Daniel only rolled his eyes, exasperately breathing out before keeping them shut for a minute. "Yeah, fine, it's alright." He replied absently minded, at last.

Daniel proceeded to open the Skype tab and clicked over his conversation with Sean. He observed that his brother had unlogged from the website since they stopped messaging, and clicked over his profile picture with deceivement. It was the same picture that he had sent over to Daniel: their reconciliation selfie at Arizona when the sun went up.

He smiled croakedly.

Daniel: Yo, bro

He waited patiently for the reply as he tapped the laptop with his fingers. Claire tilted her body towards the laptop to read any possible answers, but sat back after checking. She ended up looking towards the horizon, as far from the window that the trees let her, looking like she was searching for answers on "how to look after a rude and traumatised ten year old".

Five minutes had gone through and Sean hadn't logged in. Daniel furrowed his eyebrows and texted.

Daniel: Yo, Superwolf here

He checked the laptop's clock, and it was already six or seven minutes since he first texted. He sighed, tired. Stephen asked if everything was alright, and relaxed after receiving a positive reassure from Daniel, even though he wasn't feeling any himself. He felt like giving a punch to everyone, kick boxes and bins and cars until they beeped, bending street lights until it looked like those damnit palm trees on Costa Rica's shore, go and burn every single police station he could find and just watch it all go down in flames.

Every. Single. Thing.

And why? Because he was a sweet-ass telekinetically gifted, disrupted and fucked up kid. But mostly, because he needed to get rid of the rageball killing him inside.

Daniel: Sean... U there

Daniel: It's okay... If u can't talk we can do this later, I won't get mad, I'm a big boy

But Daniel didn't want to be a big boy, it was too much emotional work. Superwolf wanted to know if he was doing as fine as he tried to prove. Maybe Sean was just being nice and modest with him, like he had always been. Man, that time he lost an eye because of him he didn't even flinch.

He even put up with his childish and selfish ways when he almost ditched him for the Fischers.

And he made sure he tucked him with the blanket and that he was sleeping well in Away, even after everything they had gone through and that Daniel had stopped caring about bed comfortness long ago.

He sometimes got scared about the things that Sean would go through for his little brother. Especially right then, when they were separated and Daniel wouldn't be able to help him in case of need. It scared the shit out of him.

Even after half an hour, where Daniel had nervously switched tabs and read the local news to drown his restlessness in other things, Sean didn't log in. It was like he had forgotten his phone somewhere. In the end, he couldn't blame him, they had started a new life without phones and internet connection and got pretty used to it.

Daniel had even switched off Hawt Dawg Man, when the bickering and poor special effects had taken a toll on him, and were threatening to explode the angry and helpless bubble forming around his small and tense body.

"Maybe he's got errands to do." Stephen added quietly, but carefully. His hands scratched the armchair as a coping mechanism to accept his grandson's sorrow, and stayed in silence.

Daniel furrowed his eyebrows, a boiling sensation cooking inside his stomach making him move nervously in the couch, making his head tilt to the sides and take the laptop off his legs. He didn't like it, whatever it was. Something was wrong.

For the love of Brody. Something was fucking wrong.

"Daniel, please calm-"

"NOOOOOOO!" He outragedly screamed, already too late to listen.

He involuntarily sent the laptop to shit as well as a couple pencils and paper sheets. His expression, raged, stayed in his face as he thought about the possible reasons of the situation. He got robbed? Assaulted? Hurt? Where would he go? Did they even have proper health insurance in Mexico? His brother's friends had taught him so much about these things. He thought, fast.

His grandparents got up from their seats fast, in shock. They looked horrified at the mess that little Daniel had caused around them: the laptop, luckily landed over a cushion and didn't suffer permanent damages, as well as pencils, sheets, and a little snowball from Düsseldorf (Germany), teared to soaking pieces on the ground. Also some photo frames had met the ground, but didn't get broken thanks to their quality.

Daniel's normal tantrums had caused them to place their special, important belongings somewhere and improve the materials.

But this one was pretty big.

"Daniel, stop this crap! Now! He's probably busy, we don't know..!" Claire yelled, plead and desperation resonating through her voice. It was clear that she had met one of her limits. Like when her grandsons sneaked in Karen's room for the first time. Had it really been the first? Could she actually make it through Daniel's rebellious phase? Because superpowers made it ten times more complicated.

"THAT'S BULLSHIT!" Daniel yelled, tears starting to form under his eyes. He started to shake, unable to move, his body finally surrending to the fact that Claire could be right. He covered his face, worries filling his mind and conscience. Superwolf couldn't bring himself to cry though. He'd stopped doing that long ago. Thirty minutes of silence from Sean shouldn't lead to paranoia (according to "common sense").

Stephen picked up the laptop while Claire went to the laundry room to pick up the broom, in an obvious bad mood. When she came back, she walked towards her grandson, with obvious intentions of doing some serious talk, but it became too much to bear. When the woman finally grabbed Daniel by his arm, in a pretty rageful way, the youngest member shook her off with a heavy exclamation and stormed out of the house through the backyard door.

His feet stomped through the green grass, completely different since the first time he had come, avoiding the yells that came from inside that reminded him that he couldn't go too far. He then closed the door with his mind, too angry to care about their comments.

He checked out his brother's watch, which he nostalgically wore on his wrist. It was his amulet, like their father's lighter had been for Sean. It was quarter to five in the afternoon, almost six or seven hours since he last talked to his older brother, and wouldn't for the rest of the day. What a pain..! Not knowing what was up to him and whether he was in danger or not, made him worried. At the very least. It was fucking Mexico what he was talking about.

The leaves close his feet started to spin in circles, slowly, making a soft and harmless tornado spin around him. His expression, still bothered and angry, made some little tears form on his eyes again. He held them back like before, but after some seconds he finally gave in, this time releasing them. He cried, softly, feeling the pain in his throat widen and ache more, as he thought about it. Why couldn't he just know that Sean was okay? Why did it hurt so much to ignore shit about it? It would be so easy to have a GPS on him and just check on the phone where and what he was doing. At least he could send him a message or know if he was in a bad situation or not. Anything would count.

But of course, it was impossible.

He kept sobbing quietly as his eyes reddened, his body clenching and shaking calmly as he tried to digest the facts that anything could be happening to his brother, and sadly, didn't have control over. He could be okay. He could be not. But at the end of the day, like Sean had promised, he would reach over to him. Even if he was hurt, aching or even dying.

He had promised. And he believed in Sean's word.

The little tornado revolving around the kid kept spinning slowly and sadly, meeting his mood. Claire opened the door quietly, incapable of scaring her little grandson in such a state of fear, and looked sadly over to Daniel, who was feeling and dwelling over his own sorrow. It almost hurt to watch.

"Daniel, I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking..." Claire started with a shaking voice. "It's okay, I won't argue with you." She added, while fixing the garden gnome that was tipped over at her feet. It seemed like the figurine was centuries old by the state of the paint, she observed, as she faced the object towards the front.

Daniel was incapable of replying.

"I don't know what Sean is up to, but what I'm definitely sure about is that your brother would give anything to be texting you now. He'll reach out to you, eventually. Makes sense, huh?" Claire said, leaning against the porch. She turned her more confident expression towards her grandson, who was starting to relax, judging by the falling leaves.

"Yeah." He managed to reply with a hurt voice.

"It hurts, doesn't it? To feel the person you love most leave, for whatever circumstances." Claire said, with obvious pain. Daniel looked up front, unable to turn towards a mother whose most desired letter was in her grandson's trousers.

He needed to get that piece of paper out of his goddamn pocket. Sometime.

"It sucks real bad." Daniel said. "I want him, but not there, I want him here. When in the whole world did he think it would be a goddamn great idea to run away and go to Mexico." He said, full of both rage and sadness. "He was so stupid to get obsessed with that destination. You could've taken good care of us." 

"The police were on your back, Daniel. Your brother did the best he could to protect you." Claire said with determination. "What the hell you think would've happened to you both if Sean hadn't run away with you, huh?" She asked.

She had a point. Daniel's watery eyes expelled another tear, denying with his head. Yeah, the police would've torn them apart. Foster care, unfair jail for Sean, having to actually live his father's funeral way too soon... Many shit. Many shit he didn't go through because of Sean and his bravery. His brother, and his goddamn idea to go down to Mexico, and when they had finally achieved so, he fucking threw himself out of the car.

Why did he ever do such thing?

"I want Sean." He said with a wobbling voice.

"You gave him up for the sake of your actions. It was your choice, Daniel. It was him or a normal life. You chose the second one." She said.

"Well, it hurts." He replied.

"Life hurts, Daniel. Didn't these last months teach you so?" She said.

"They've taught me enough for life, grandma. I don't want more lessons for a year, at least." He said, exhaling heavily. "I just... I'm in denial." He confessed.

"Your heart isn't ready to let him go. It's understandable, you've shared a trauma in common, gone through homelessness together, the same tears, the same wounds... You're partners for life now. Or at least, you were meant to be."

Daniel stared towards the front with melancholy. His eyes shined with nostalgia and love, the bitter love when you miss, when your heart dies to snuggle into someone's arms but you can't. You're just too far away, or because it can't be, because you're too young or too old, or because destiny just fucking hates you.

"I know you hate hearing this, but maybe it's time to let him go. For a while, at least." She started. Then she turned towards the Eriksen's house, staring towards their roof. "In some month's time, or maybe a year, God knows, it won't be so hard anymore."

Daniel didn't reply. Claire excused herself and walked inside, closing the door behind her. His little tense body started walking around the backyard towards the wooden fence, where he leant against and slid down to the floor. Once he sat his butt down, he stared towards the leaves, sad and decoloured.

Fuck.

Getting used to not having Sean? To not miss him so much anymore? To no longer feel deep sadness and despair when he wasn't around for a year? That was total bullshit. He was deep inside his heart, inside his mind. Sean wasn't just his estranged big brother, he was the closest he had to a father. A figure. Someone he looked up to and loved. True love, not that romantic crap out there that made people fall into property and, in some cases, fake marriages.

He felt sorry for Claire and Stephen, but he didn't believe in matrimony and love that involved paperwork. It was crazy, due to the fact that he was just ten, but life on the road had only taught him so much and he became trustless on many things. Would Sean believe in love after his romance with Finn McNamara? Who knew. Mexico was also popular for its "hopeless romantics" population.

He just hoped he would be just fine.

_______________________________________

Back in his room on the upper floor, he abandoned his school biology homework which he had been dwelling on for hours. He gave up and dropped the pencil on top of his work, grabbing his earphones and slumping over the edge of his bed, in direction to the window. Its crystal was somehow foggy, warning that the clouds would soon start pouring out. Daniel lazily brought his finger to the zone and drew a sad face, wondering if checking his Skype profile again would do him any good.

"He's... Fine." He tried to convince himself. "He's... Alive?" He mumbled to himself. His finger stopped drawing, too focused on what that silence meant. A dark emotion filled his heart again, knowing that until he got further notice from his older brother, he wouldn't stop thinking about possible murder or suicide options. _Was this what his life as a ten-year old awaited?_ He'd rather miss out on Chock-O-Crisps for what was left of his high school life.

He almost felt sorry for himself, thinking about how the Halloween festivity had decreased in magic and adopted a traumatised, dark and lonely context. He wouldn't be able to go out on the streets and ask for candy knowing that he had spilled a bottle of corn syrup on an idiot's shirt, giving place to everything else that had ruined their lives. Putting decorated pumpkins out in the garden, the black and orange pennant banners, and what was worse, the skulls and the bones. Just thinking about the idea of kids celebrating his dad's corpse out on the street, made him seriously sick. What had been an ultimate, awaited and exciting party before, was now a disturbing, heartbreaking and scary series of events that formed in his mind after he heard the words "The Day of the Dead".

He wouldn't be able to celebrate that. He just... He couldn't. It was too hurtful.

So, instead of dwelling over things that he probably couldn't have controlled in the past, he buried his chin over his folded arms that rested over the window's frame. His eyes searched for a blonde-haired boy on the tip of his colourful tree house, dreaming about taking over the world and defeating the ultimate evil villain that haunted his household's water machine, the "Good Guys" and mostly Captain Spirit's cause.

He tilted his head, seeing an altercation occurring inside his tree house. The pennant banners swinged back and forth, along with a bottle of glue that fell over to the ground, only to reveal a rebellious squirrel taking something away in its little hands. Would Chris get mad? He hoped he had closed his safe properly.

"Hey." Said the boy with the squeaky but shy voice, making Daniel jump in his seat. _And his heart too_.

He retrieved an earphone from his ear, turning almost instantly towards a voice that had been long gone since months. A voice he had missed in Humboldt, and at his tenth birthday celebration in Haven Point. There, at his door, stood little but overly-smart Chris, looking almost proud of himself for having intruded his little sacred zone.

"I thought that was the end." Chris continued, in a deceived voice, showing his true feelings at last. "I really thought I was never going to see you again."

The boy didn't want to appear in his house and start shoving his hurt feelings onto his face, but any start was a good start. He knew Daniel wasn't the same kid he found on the streets everyday.

Daniel widened his eyes a bit, parting his lips open in a soft "o". He scanned his old friend with his eyes, encountering the same old soul he had befriended back in a hideout Beaver Creek and didn't want to get attached to. Basically because he knew he wouldn't stay for long.

Now was that long.

"Chris..." Daniel couldn't speak. He was softly shocked by his sudden appearance, impressed by his neighbour's insisting to walk inside the Reynold's and rescue a sinking friendship. "I just... I just wanted to say... I'm sorry." He confessed, unable to look elsewhere that wasn't Chris's eyes. He needed his forgiveness.

Would he?

"Oh, yeah. About time." Chris lowered his gaze, breaking visual contact for a moment before establishing it again. "Well you could've told me, and it would've been okay." He asked carefully. "You didn't need to hide anything. For real."

Daniel's eyes started to water softly, staring at his friend's shoes with sadness. He felt selfish and stupid. He elevated his watery eyes, fixing them on Chris.

"I'm sorry I made you believe that. I took advantage without knowing." He sobbed, his eyes about to overflow. 

Chris exhaled, a little deceived with himself. He remembered staring at his own hands, feeling like an idiot back in December. _Well of course the power hadn't worked after the fall_. Daniel was the real hero.

"Daniel, just... Forget it. You were the real hero anyways." He murmured loud enough for Daniel to hear.

Daniel still stared at him, pressing his lips with shame. His eyes, sparkling with sadness and embarrassment, finally aimed at Chris's. The blonde-haired boy almost felt pity for his gifted friend, softening his look.

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything." Chris quickly said, closing the door and walking over to sit next to Daniel, who leant against the wall, still about to cry.

Chris observed his friend's state once he had sat down next to him, and folded his left leg on top of the mattress. He proceeded to calmly and meekly grab Daniel's hand, before looking at him again.

"I do forgive you, Daniel. You saved me." Chris said carefully. "Don't... Be sad. Don't be hard on yourself. You guys went through a lot." 

Daniel's eyes, wet and glittery, were starting to loose visibility as his lip trembled. Then he let the tears roll down quietly. Suddenly, the lump in his throat became unbearable and let out a short and squeaky cry, quickly wrapping his arms around his imaginative and creative friend. Chris corresponded the gentle act, shushing him down quietly and embracing him completely. "It's okay, Dan."

An undecipherable and muffled sound came from Daniel's mouth, which Chris associated with guilt. He almost chuckled.

"This is what you were really scared of? Gosh, you don't seem really bad-ass."

"Shuddup." Daniel mumbled inside Chris's clothes. But he knew very well that he was smiling already.

"At least you know I'm not scared of you." He quickly added.

"Whu wuld yu." He kept on saying with a muffled tone. "Fuur mu."

"Nah, I don't fear you." Chris replied. He continued to play with Daniel's hair, trying at least, to make him feel better. He didn't picture his friend as someone dangerous, even if the news had tried to. He saw them yesterday in secret, while Dad was dozing off. People thought Daniel was a beast, someone they had to tie up. But in reality, he thought he was just helping his big brother to escape from an unfair and heartbreaking fate. Daniel's exasperated but relieved exhale instantly made him calm down.

"Chris." He said after a couple minutes standing like that, lifting his chin up this time. His homework remained forgotten on top of his desk, spread over the workplace. He did miss out on a proper backpack though.

"Yes, Daniel." He said, finally pulling apart. His eyes adopted a caring expression as he took his bag off, retrieving a box of, how not, mighty Chock-O-Crisps. He had been dying for those but hadn't realized, because of the guilt that had consumed his body after the Haven Point and Humboldt explosions.

The problem was that the last time he said that he was purposely "dying" to get a candy bar of those, he was almost seriously wounded. He didn't want to associate both words anymore.

 _Gosh, that innocent kid inside Daniel had been long gone in many ways_.

"Thanks for coming. I've been having a hard time thinking about... You know. What to say and stuff." Daniel said with a shy voice.

Chris chuckled, his satisfied expression glowing before the sunset light, coming through the window and bathing their bodies. His slim and sun-kissed fingers opened the box of Chock-O-Crisps and helped himself a bar, aiming complacent eyes at his friend before offering him one. Daniel smiled sincerely, forgetting for a second that he had a dozen of other things to worry about, a million other fears that kept haunting him both day and night, many characters that assaulted, raped and killed him in his dreams and just glanced at Chris with an undecipherable expression.

One that the blonde-haired boy perceived as a mixture of thankfulness, calm and adoration.

"I couldn't wait to have one. Thanks much." Daniel thanked, unable to hide his excited face for such a little but meaningful gesture.

Chris enthusiastically unwrapped his chocolate bar in between chatting and chuckling, before munching on the little snack while Daniel teared out the corner of the packet in a comfortable silence. Chris crept on to the bed, throwing off his sneakers to the floor, before slumping right next to his friend's little but stiff body.

The american boy rummaged through his backpack before taking out Daniel's drawing from earlier that morning, and handed it out to his friend. He chuckled as he did so.

"I have to admit it's pretty accurate. I'll try not to feel creeped out though." Chris confessed with soft sarcasm, followed by a soft laugh.

Daniel covered half of his face with his hand, wanting the earth to suck him in. It was too embarrassing having received the answer from his creative friend already. The young boy didn't feel like putting up with facing his reaction. His cheeks soon adopted a pink blush, spreading through his face and calling Chris's attention.

"Oh, no, wait. I didn't mean that. I mean, I think it's cute." Chris stammered a bit while trying to calm his nervous friend down. "That you check up on me, I mean. Can't trust my tree to hold me up safely anymore, can I?" He added quickly.

Daniel replied with a soft "yeah", staring at him and looking away.

"Aww... Don't sulk. At least I know you've got my back. Even when I don't remember calling you to help defeat the evil. I can be even more efficient against Mantroid if I've got invisible support. Kinda helps." He shrugged, trying to break the ice. He took out another two Chock-O-Crisps and placed them beside his friend to take when he wanted more.

Daniel didn't reply, munching on his favourite bar instead.

"But good part is, you don't need to hide in your space float anymore. You should return to Captain Spirit squad as former Superwolf, and contribute actively to defeating Mantroid." He announced.

Suddenly, Chris's gaze darkened. His excited expression slowly melted down into a neutral one that Daniel couldn't quite figure out yet. Something in his words had activated a sensitive button in his personality, and was exposing the reaction. Daniel wondered what was going on in his head.

"Are you alright..?" Daniel asked with a worried tone.

"Y...Yeah. Don't worry. It's fine." Chris denied with his head, looking down while placing his hands over his folded legs. _He didn't like to talk about it_ , Daniel guessed.

He still aimed his curious and glittered eyes towards Chris, who was dwelling over the subject inside his mind. Then he observed him deny with his head and turn towards him. "It's okay, forget it." Chris insisted.

Daniel nodded, but he knew that he wasn't going to follow that last command. Since when was he known for following rules, anyway?

"Okay, as you wish." Daniel nodded, chewing off the last piece of the bar.

"Thanks." The blonde replied in almost a whisper, throwing the empty packet into his bag, along with the box.

What was that?

Silence.

"Chris..?" He asked, carefully.

"Yes." He turned towards him, slightly more secure.

"Is everything okay at your home?" Daniel finally asked for the first time. Chris widened his eyes a bit, thinking about his question. The brownish haired boy held his chin with his hand, focusing on his troubled friend, as he thought about the bruise he had seen on Chris's forearm the first time they had met. He hadn't asked to remain respectful, but that "stain" seemed to serious to be caused by another ten year-old kid.

Daniel didn't even want to think about it, seeing it from another perspective. But someone had to, after all. He wasn't a normal, innocent and ignorant kid anymore.

"Dan... If I tell you a secret, you promise to never tell anyone?" Chris stammered weakly. His blue eyes definitely showed something fragile now.

There it went. Daniel's heart started beating faster, an evil idea already crossing his mind. And no, they weren't precisely butterflies.

"I promise. I'm not a kid anymore." He replied with security, trying to be enough for Chris to pour his emotions into. Starting to realize that his friend was having a hard time being honest, he brought his hand to his neighbors's and placed it over his slim fingers, softly gripping on them.

Chris looked into his eyes, looking back to their hands. His friend's fingers proceeded to calmly intertwine with his, trying to make him understand that he could count on him. Daniel exhaled at last, closing his eyes shut.

"There's no need to say it. I know." Daniel quickly confessed for him.

Chris pressed his eyebrows, hard with himself. His fingers clutched onto his friends as he said it.

"Dad did those bruises on my forearm." He said, at last. His breath tripped. "He never lets me tell, though, and asks me whether anyone knows. He looses it everytime he... Drinks. You know, the adult drinking stuff. He gulps down a couple of bottles a week." He continued confessing, his voice eventually dying down.

Daniel listened carefully as he explained it, widening his mouth furtherly as he adopted the delicate information. Oh no.

"Why would he do such thing?" He asked.

"Because Mommy died two years ago, and he can't accept it."

Ouch. Daniel's heart broke at the words, understanding painfully well that same hollow and stranger feeling. He knew miserably.

"Chris... I'm sorry. Really." Daniel spoke. "That's... Terrible. And pretty serious." He said, staring into his eyes. He stared down towards the Chock-O-Crisp bars, and back to Chris's face. "You know, me and my brother Sean also lost our father, too. Last Halloween."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'm really sorry about your Dad." Chris's stare darkened even more. "Is that why you were at the Reynolds?"

"We were here because social services wanted to take me away from Sean." He confessed.

"What are those?" He asked with a confused tone.

"Like, those who take children away from their families because the adults are dead." He explained. "Teenagers and kids can't take care of themselves so they are put in adoption. Like puppies and kittens."

"That's terrible, too." He replied. "I'm glad you two stuck together for a while."

"Not enough, if you ask me." He chuckled, emotionless.

Silence. Both of them stood like that for a while, holding hands while pouring their hearts out to one another. Daniel suddenly realized that was what he had truly wanted to do since he came back from the Mexico border, but couldn't find the courage, the same way he didn't gather enough to hurt people on his way to his father's country.

"Chris."

"Yes, Dan?"

"Can we cuddle..?"

Chris looked towards his friend, who stared nostalgically towards the front. He was probably thinking about Sean, and how his emotional needs had been covered by that person through most of their road trip. How he probably would've tucked him into bed, hugged him and snuggled whenever he needed, told stories... And also about Mom's smile, and how much he missed it.

"Well, why not. Dad doesn't do anything of the sort, and Mom is long gone now. Yours should do." Chris replied.

That was how Daniel and Chris ended up laying in his bed, soon wrapping their arms around the other and burying their faces where the other wouldn't figure out their weaknesses, tangling their legs lazily and resting their faces close to the other's. The mutual lack and need of affection, though, caused them to free one of their hands and intertwine their fingers, giving each other time to close their eyes and fall asleep.

_That was the moment where Daniel's laptop downstairs lit up with a Skype notification, from Sean, apologizing for the long wait. He said he hadn't been able to get grip of his phone and stated that he would've been mad at himself too if he were to be in his place, confessing that internet in Puerto Lobos wasn't an unlimited source anymore, at least where he stood in middle of the vast and changing situation._


	2. Puerto Wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brothers continue their journey in separate ways, and Daniel struggles with Sean's lies and new buzzing feelings for none other than his creative and imaginary neighbour, Chris Eriksen. Sean, on his side, fights to earn food and supplies.

  
**WARNING** ⚠️

This episode contains descriptions of **sexuality/prostitution/non-con**. The contents mentioned in it may trigger to some people, so I felt responsible to write this as a note to prevent any uncomfortable or bad experiences while reading.

I apologize for any inconvenience caused. For all I can say, the topics mentioned above don't surpass the **10-20%** of the content of the chapter, though it can still disturb some readers and it's still our job to warn the audience.

\---------------------------------------------------------

_______________________________________

Puerto Lobos, México

 _Five months_ _after the events at the border_

 _November_  
_______________________________________

(Rayando el Sol - **Maná** )

_Reaching the sun_  
_Reaching out to you_

_This pain, it hurts and burns without your love_

Y _ou didn't call and the desperation is here_

_I've cried over you for many moons_

_Reaching the sun_  
_Desperation_

_It is easier_  
_To reach the sun_  
_Than your heart_

_I'm dying for you_  
_living without you_  
_I can't stand it_  
_Hurts too much_  
_To be like this_

_Reaching the sun_

Sean Diaz had decided firmly that he wouldn't take off the eye patch that was still resting over his eye for the time given. The tropical breeze ventilated his old, blue navy "Squad" hoodie that had been beat up by his several adventures, the cold and the dirt. The pigment of the title was coming off in chunks, but the remaining material still gripped to the cloth impressively. His index finger and thumb held the cigarette in between his lips as he inhaled the killer substance, as his eyes searched for the end of the mexican sea's horizon while thinking about his mother Karen's whereabouts. The police had captured her long ago for what happened in Haven Point, but would be eventually released; maybe months, maybe a couple years. What would her plans be? Would she go and join Joan, David, Arthur and Stanley in Away? What had happened to her RV? Did someone else occupy it?

He wished her the very best; it was ironic, due to the hatred he held for Karen in his heart for many years, but her help in order to bring his brother back had been urgent, if not crucial to make Daniel come to his senses.

He had chosen to sit under a palm tree, close to the line of houses. His neighbours Camila and Juan had advised him about good weather on the evenings and had recommended him to go out on a stroll in between work hours. Sean liked it on the outside, being able to observe the calm landscape and palm trees, the aground ships and the dog that ran across the shore with its owner, Ramona. Everyday after work, he would stuff the keys into his pockets and carry a sandwich towards the port, the beach, anywhere he could just chill out and relax, and would sit down for ages to just listen to the weather and think about the fact that he didn't need to run from the law, hide or face emprisonment anymore. It was just him and his questionable new peace, in his father's homeland, at last. His dream to go back, accomplished by his teenage son who had tried his best to give Daniel Diaz a good life, and was living a fucked-up retirement phantasy in what seemed to be the prologue of an adventure that had ended up being emotionally resenting for Sean.

Still, he couldn't waste his time irresponsibly and he needed to work a lot more, as his current job in the Pérez household could be seriously compromised. He wouldn't and couldn't afford that: his link to Camila and her daughter Lupita, who gave him a job and repayment when no one else did, was too developed and his dependence to their financial support and occasional supplies was way too big.

He had told them his story, five months ago, when he came to Puerto Lobos on his own, without a car (Karen's had died in middle of the desert), with an eye left and broken shoes. The lost glimmer in his eyes only hinted the family about what he had gone through, and when they were told by Sean, they had almost stood up from their tables from the shock.

Like he thought before, he wouldn't take off his eye patch, at least not in front of Lupita. The little fourteen year old seemed to be a nice and happy girl who didn't learn the hard way, unlike him, and didn't want to scare the hell out of her. Especially because he needed somewhere to work, besides his other job, and he was sure that they wouldn't spare him anything if their daughter was afraid of him. " _My brother, who's long gone now, loved pirates. This is the only thing that I've got left from him. I miss him_." That's the excuse Sean used when he had been asked about the patch over his eye. The less information he gave, the better.

He did talk about his father's death and him trying to protect his brother from foster care and a funeral, ending up in a way that they ended up parting ways. He also described Daniel, and how he would always be scared throughout the trip and ask what happened and what would they do. He said it had been very hard to remain together despite the many obstacles they encountered in their journey, and for both their mental health's stability. Sean didn't tell them about the border events, though. He knew very well that no one would believe him until they saw it; besides, he would seem high or baked to the parent's eyes and that wouldn't turn out well for him.

He needed to hide crucial information to protect his little workplace. Especially since he knew how hard it was to earn a place to sleep for the night, his back and bones already suffered enough from sleeping under bridges and street corners. And coping with hunger. And thiefs. And what was worse, having tried to keep Daniel and his emerging explosive personality at bay, just in case he would need to use his powers against anyone he didn't like or believe in.

Now, those problems were long changing. He "owned" a little and old unoccupied house to drop dead in (some streets away from the Pérez), a little "stepsister" to take care of and play with sometimes, the educated and well-hearted parents that gave him a job, amazing weather and exquisite cuisine. He couldn't even get started with the happy and friendly neighbours, who always gave him food casseroles and little souvenirs and postcards for him to draw. It was like a bright and peaceful community he always could hold on to, even though he couldn't feel part of. Their houses almost felt Sean's own, and he had a general respect towards the whole town, who gifted him smiles and waves whenever he walked by. The houses were really humble, with a ceiling that looked like falling down at any moment, the same cement squares all across the street, in different colours, and vintage technology along with many, many religious offerings, typical mexican rugs, and candles when the scarce light bulbs weren't enough.

What most caught Sean's attention about the mexican lifestyle at first, was the strong and solid "community" vibe in between the neighbours and the astonishingly delicious mexican dishes. These people cooked properly great, and always lied about spiciness. Is it spicy? Yes (a whole lot). Again, is it spicy? No (don't eat that, they're liars). They would stuff their food with seasonings and some really spicy _chile_ that Sean almost died trying it. Result? The whole table ended up crying from laughter. They were nice, outgoing, and friendly with newbies. That was what really counted.

Another thing that caught his attention was the lack of snow due to the tropical weather, the scarce wind and almost no cold. In summer, though, heat waves were getting more common as years went by and last summer was especially hot, making Sean go out in almost just a suimsuit, not bothering to put on any slippers.

When the heat left the country in late September, though, he would go back to his "Squad" hoodie, which he was starting to believe he would be buried with, and would go on quiet strolls across the Puerto Lobos shore, sitting on top of bent palm trees and burying his feet in the sand. Other times he would sit on the benches before the sand and would dwell about his new humble life, the new mexican folks in it and only sometimes, when he felt like his heart could take it, about his life in Seattle and his little brother. About Daniel Diaz, who had chose to abandon him at his own luck, to live a normal life in the United States.

He couldn't blame him, deep in his heart. They had talked to each other almost every day or two, for the first two or three months. Daniel was very attached to him, and would stop doing homework just to talk with him for hours. He would talk about how boring it was to be home-arrested and that he wished they never left Away. As Daniel and Chris became deeper friends and developed a best friendship, the videocalls decreased and Sean found it harder to get an hour of call, in exchange for a humiliating blowjob to the user of the only darnit laptop in town.

It was something he hated; he didn't have enough money to live by himself without remaining hungry, which obligued him to have two jobs, one more filthy than the other. He hated the thought of having to sell his body to a stranger, it was something he didn't yet get over and it overwhelmed him sometimes, almost making him stop in his tracks (to his client's house) to turn and leave. It made his insides rotten, his eyes heave even more, and his legs weigh at the memory of an undesired pressure on his hips. It was something filthy, disgusting and wrecking to his persona that he put up with only to gain the remaining money that the Pérez didn't give him, and needed to pay his doubts and to use a fucking laptop.

His days were simple. He got up, went to the Pérez household to pretend he was okay about it all, that he didn't have any problems with anyone, take care of Lupita before leaving to smoke a cigarette or two at the beach, use his few coins to get a cheap dish at the local restaurant, smoke again, and go to make negotiations with his body. Then he would go home, lean against the wall and slide down to the floor, in between misery. He would bawl his eyes out, wonder why the fuck he had gotten to a point where he lost his virginity, something he was sure he was going to take care of at the right moment, to a gross corrupt who didn't even have the decency to drop his lustful habits having two kids, and a beautiful wife.

He just couldn't invent so many random excuses for his brother every time. Sean couldn't be honest when they called, sounding fake in concrete moments. It was too complicated to talk to his brother every day, knowing the fact that he had to work his ass off just to use his Skype account, so it became more and more difficult to keep up with the habit (sometimes ghosting Daniel unintentionally). After some cold and distant time, though, it seemed like the universe had finally caught the idea and their relationship just faded a bit, lowering it all to one videocall a month.

He sometimes wondered how Daniel was coping with it all. He didn't know if Beaver Creek was suitable for a kid in his conditions, but if he had chosen to surrender instead of crossing the border, then the mexican life surely wasn't for him.

Would their relationship be the same ever again? He sometimes felt like his little brother was slipping slowly away, slowly incorporating to a normal life until he preferred hanging out with his city friends rather than checking out on his poor, homeless and criminal older brother.

Sean inhaled another time the substance from the cigarette, looking at the ashes that had just fallen over the floor, and thought about how much his life had changed since the party where he would "finally make a move on Jenn". Daniel and him got into an argument about a stupid costume, and suddenly... Sean was trying to survive in a corrupt and humble country, away from his homeland police and law. A dork, a sensitive artist who tried to work out how to catch Jenn's attention and trying not to get busted for smoking with Lyla, to a fugitive and potential public threat prosecuted by the nation's law, having to protect his little brother who he had always abhorred from his own superpowers.

And in the end, he ended up loving him like he was his own kid. Something he had never felt for anyone in his life, something secure, pure and strong took over him and woke up his parental instinct to love and protect Daniel.

And it was true. The love towards your kids was the one magical and true love, a part of you that will be yours, forever. He still felt those things for Daniel even when he was long away, long gone. He always would.

Maybe someday, in a week's, month's or year's time, he and Daniel could properly make up for all of it. Maybe someday, Daniel would properly forgive him for chaotically dragging him into their dangerous, life-changing, year-long road trip.

Maybe (in the worst of cases) they would just drift apart until they became brothers who "lived away". Sean's heart hated it, but he knew it could be possible after almost half a year of decreasing videocalls, gradual dishonesty and cultural shock. Maybe Daniel needed it, being away from Sean, living under a proper roof and eating proper food.  
_And still, it hurt like hell to be away_.

" _Enano_..." Sean mumbled, his eye adopting a melancholy shine. It was pretty unexplainable to have a kid he got attached to in just some month's time, a kid that one or two years ago he got into reasonless fights with and called a " _cockblock_ " when he attempted to have a private life and felt like he couldn't. He went from that miserable relationship to getting punched and attacked for him, escaping a hospital and risking his own life while at it, forgiving his own mistakes, teaming up with his mother who had hurt him since they were kids, played detective to bust a serial psychopath... All for him. His whiny, pouty and empowered brother. "My life's so fucking strange." He finished with glimmering eyes, starting to water.

_He had remembered crying when he opened his backpack a few days after the events at the border, finding Daniel's magic writing pad with the phrase "I love you, Sean" and how those words meant the whole world to him. He never erased the writing pad again, nor threw it away. He snapped a photo of the beautiful message and kept the polaroid in the back of his trousers, just in case the writing pad would go missing. And as if he had fortune-teller powers, some idiots had stolen the toy to make their poor son happy. "You don't play with toys, don't you? Your brother would love to see that thing being recycled." Yeah, fuck, right. Now Sean carried that crumpled photo like a mantra on his pockets, making sure that no one took the only thing he had left of his beloved Daniel._

How did he end up like that?

He also thought about Lyla Park, but didn't want to admit it. Ghosting her was the hardest decision he had made for their relationship, and he sometimes regretted not having insisted more to Lyla's mother. He should've fought for her, but the police made it hard. Everything made it hard. Lyla had her mental battle and he had his brother's health in his hands. What range of possibilities did he have? Could he protect Daniel and Lyla's friendship altogether? He had heart-breakingly decided that it was best for him and Daniel to just disappear from the picture, leave everything and everyone behind, no second thoughts. He felt something in his heart break when he threw the phone away, but there was no going back and he had already acted in consequence. He had probably been crowned the worst friend in the planet after sending her to mental rehab, so doing anything in that moment wouldn't change anything. He did check out her profile though, and felt the tension when both of them were online. One time she had started to type something, while both of them were connected, but didn't send anything in the end. That was the last attempt they had at communication.

He also hated breaking all contact without a chance to say sorry. He hated breaking Lyla's heart. He had grown up with her in so many ways and she was almost a sister. Together, they were better. Funnier. Unstoppable. Now it was just a brokenhearted Lyla and his broke ex-best friend (in a lot of ways now) in a foreign country, fighting to survive with an eye left.

Sean finished his cigarette before standing up and putting the little fire out with the tip of his sneakers. While tilting his body, he repaired in the medium-sized wolf tattoo on his forearm.

 _We could be wolves_.

He could still hear that voice inside his mind. Sean traced the wolf silhouette with the tip of his finger, thinking about his friend Cassidy, the Christmas market, a Daniel with terrible face makeup and the Humboldt gang in California.

" _Y ese tatuaje?"_ A girl asked from beside. She was referring to his tattoo, asking what it was about.

Sean quickly elevated his sight to find Lupita in a floral dress, carrying a floral bag and a bucket hat. She had makeup on and a bright smile on her face, the type of vibe that lit up a whole town.

" _Sales con tu pana?"_ Sean asked, wondering if she would go out with her friend again, leaning his elbow on the back of the bench. " _Llevas el móvil?"_ He added, making sure she carried her phone, aiming her a worried look.

" _Ya, no te preocupes mi chaparrito. Me voy a ver a mi novio, el José Luis_." She replied in an excited voice, making soft fun of him calling him "short" and telling him to not worry, before confessing she was actually going to visit her boyfriend.

" _Está bien_ _. Pásalo bien, entonces."_ He replied, wishing her a nice evening.

" _Entonces, qué hay de ese animalito en tu brazo?"_ She asked about his tattoo again.

" _Es un recuerdo de mi hermanito. A él le gustaba jugar a ser lobos_." He said proudly, associating the tattoo with his brother's habit of acting like a wolf, and how it reminded of him. " _Me lo hizo una amiga, se llamaba Cassidy_." He added, saying it was her who did the tattoo.

" _Parece buena onda_." Lupita said with a meek tone, thinking she was nice. She traced the tattoo swiftly, elevating her sweet and innocent look to Sean's level and smiling. " _Y tu hermano muy lindo, tenéis una conexión increíble_. _Me lo tienes que presentar, wey_." She replied, telling him that his brother seemed sweet, and highlighting their special connection. Lupita also added she wanted to see and talk to him too.

" _Otro día_." He lied, telling her that she would another time.

Lupita laughed, rolling her eyes. She then aimed a finger at him.

"You are keeping him private, aren't you?" She said in her best english, although clinging to her mexican accent. Sean clapped softly, certainly impressed. He had taught her well.

"Yeah." Sean chuckled, friendly. "Probably."

"I'm going to find his number and call him at school." Lupita said, counting spaces in between words. She did well though.

" _Qué chido!"_ Sean chuckled, telling her he thought it was cool.

Both chuckled for a bit before high-fiving, and the boy stood waiting as he watched her leave. Lupita's dress flied after her, waving and sticking to her legs. Sean exhaled, calm.

He really needed to save up for a laptop of his own. The boy really didn't want to review that filthy man's trousers everytime for exchange of an hour next to Daniel. It was dirty. He _felt_ dirty. His lips would soon start to hurt from... Something he couldn't bring himself to think about, and his soul would feel like a stranger and faraway place, somewhere he could never feel safe. He had stopped making distinction in between what was completely moral and whatnot, but prostituting himself for his little brother was just... Insane.

He couldn't and wouldn't hold up for many longer. It was too much humiliation, too much recklessness and domination from the laptop owner. His smile would always curve up into that smirky and lustful expression, threatening his hardly accomplished "peace" and what he stood up for. He didn't do those things, not at school, not at home, not even when that retarded racist in Nevada asked him to sing. He just couldn't work out how in this broken world he would think it would be a great idea to sell his body for a videocall a week. Definitely not his ideal weekend plan back in Seattle.

He sometimes thought about the horrid expression on Esteban's face if he ever found out, and how it would kill his oldest son inside. He even recalled Daniel's tantrum at him for leaving him alone, now five times more intense, filled with sadness and heartbreak.

Maybe Sean would consider going low on food or shoes for a month or two, just steal a laptop or do some bargaining at the city until he found a good deal.

He had some sweet one hundred of _pesos_ saved up, for nothing else than a device he could use to call Daniel. Maybe he should just ditch the laptop and get a smartphone. That would definitely save up many blowjobs he didn't want to do. Esteban had told him many times about nice smartphones that weren't off-limits to his purchasing power, that were actually good, had a heck of GB for all his social media and, humoristically, "porn". Sean remembered getting annoyed at the comment while his dad cackled about it.

It had been almost half a year and he didn't even have a phone of his own. That was how pathetic the situation was.

Sean gazed one last time at the sunset, beachy landscape and scampered off to continue his work routine again. He walked in direction to the Pérez household, where he was given money in exchange for housework and laundry. Like a housekeeper, but for an unjust price and zero profit that were better than nothing. The house chores and a casserole of _pozole_ awaited for him to be done in record time before Lupita's parents came home from the city. He probably should ask if he could be hooked into the city trip next time and spend his money on a phone, finally.

_No more fucking blowjobs._

______________________________________

At quarter past ten, a generous stewpot of _pozole_ rested over the tablecloth, emitting a pleasant and spice-scented cloud of smell. A basket of sliced bread that he had baked earlier was placed right next to the pot, as well as a casserole of _tamales_ as a thankful gesture for their salary and kindness.

He lit up a few candles and placed them on the edge of the table, giving a cozy atmosphere to the living room. The shutters let no light into the household anymore and the sliding doors were closed, so the only source came from the lamp and his candles, making sure to light up enough ones. The television was off, like the Pérez had commanded him to, and the rugs were clean and polished. He had even bathed the house dog, and old but friendly German Shepherd named _Chichán_ (the mayan translation for petite or little), who had grown up to be anything but small. When he had finally rubbed the old towel against the creature's skin and was splattered with water drops, he took out a large size dog bone for the animal and let it chew on it in peace while he continued the chores.

When the table was finished and Sean finally exhaled, proud and satisfied of his work, he let himself drop on the couch and took out the polaroid from the back of his pockets.

" _I love you, Sean_."

That whiny kid. Sean's remaining eye shined with adoration, remembering his younger brother doodling scenes inside their stolen tent, in the secret cabin of the woods. His drawings were basic, terrible for an artist, like a ten year old's drawing skills should be. He pressed the pen against the plastic and drew something, scribbling some details, and after a while he would revise his result with concentrated eyes, and would finally slide the red bar up and down erasing it all.

Sean also remembered staying up late in the cabin, too scared to sleep while he laid down close to Daniel. His eyes wandered about, scanning the darkness just in case they were in danger. He would listen closely, doubt about it all and mistrust everything and everyone they encountered. His hand would place on top of Daniel's little body, protectively, too scared to fall asleep naïvely and wake up to an empty bed.

So his eyes would observe his little brother, who slept peacefully next to him and pray that it wouldn't be the last time they saw each other. He hoped to wake up and not find him missing, or hurt. He had nightmares almost every night, where they had problems to survive. In other ones, there were evil predators that found them and took them away. Those were the worst dreams, and usually left him dwelling over things that were off-limits to him. Like him being unable to protect Daniel from everything, due to his inexperience on living alone and their " _running away from the cops for something they didn't do_ " pursuit.

But he wasn't dead or hurt. He was at their grandparent's, at their ancestors home, being well taken care of. That was more than enough for Sean. Far more than he could ever provide him.

He stared at the crumpled polaroid, proud of the human being that Daniel had become. Would he stay like that? He wouldn't be influenced by wrong examples, right? When Sean wasn't there, would he use his powers and do the right thing, like he had told him back in the events at the border?

_Would the "wolf brothers" story be just a childhood memory for Daniel?_

_Chichán_ started whining and whimpering from his place, where he had earlier started chewing on his treat. Sean looked up from where he was chilling out on the couch, and sat up. The Pérez were back, and Lupita's excited voice chanted from the outside where the keys were turning the doorlock.

In five minutes, both parents carried bags from their car into the household, placing them on the corner of the living room and making trips to bring the remaining ones.

" _Sean, mijo, ayuda con las bolsas_." The lady said, asking him for help. " _Wow, se ve delicioso_." She added, praising the delicious-looking food.

He kind of liked it when he was called " _mijo_ ". It made him feel safe and covered; and flattered that they had had such nice behaviour towards him from the start, being a total stranger with an eye patch on his head and no shoes, looking like he had been punched in the face ten times.

" _Sí, claro. Enseguida_." He answered, getting up almost right away.

" _Ya le agregaste demasiada especia_." The Pérez man complained, regarding the food's smell (spiciness). He came close to the table to check out on the food, his eyes shining with something else though. _He looked_ _overally_ _pleased but was hiding it._

" _Ay, wey. Eres demasiado exigente con el muchacho. Huele casi igual que como se cocina normalmente_." Replied his wife, telling him off for being too strict and reminding him that it wasn't at all that bad.

" _Ya lo sé, cariño. Sólo quiero que su trabajo le valga lo suficiente_." He answered admitting her truth, excusing himself on the fact that he just wanted Sean's work to pay off.

Sean carried the last bag into the living room, where he dropped off the object next to the pile. He looked up and saw a satisfied couple that was sitting down, grabbing the cutlery already.

" _Puedes traer el pulque, Sean?"_ Asked the wife calmly, wishing to have on her table the pot of the traditional mexican drink. Sean, who had stayed in the corner feeling proud of himself for five seconds, nodded and hurried into the kitchen for the bottle. Then he placed the drink over the table and looked towards their daughter, who just appeared.

" _Siéntate a comer con nosotros, Sean. Trabajaste genial, y la casa está estupenda_." Smiled Lupita from her seat, where she had just sat down after darting down the stairs. She asked him to sit down for dinner, congratulating him for his good work.

Sean smiled thankfully, whispered " _permiso_ ", (which was a respectful word to ask for permission to the people in the room to do something), and grabbed a fork, watching how the family placed food into their plates and started talking about their day in spanish.

Sean sat down in the chair and grabbed a _tamal_ , picking on it in between spanish dialogues, while thinking about Daniel for some reason. But then it was something he did randomly, and couldn't help drifting off to the memory of his younger brother. What was he doing in that moment? Talking to Chris? Doing house chores? Thinking about his lonely and resented brother, maybe?

It kind of scared him to be so far away from him sometimes. Him in Puerto Lobos, Daniel in Beaver Creek. So many distance felt like tearing apart at any moment, and their grip loosen, and yet his heart felt so close to the fading image of his weak smile. _A smile that ached in his soul now._ Would he by any chance, still miss him or something? Even if he didn't, Sean still wanted to feel enough for both of them. _He didn't want to let Daniel go._

Twenty minutes later, the four of them were finishing their plates at the same time they talked animatedly in between them, while a shy and timid Sean stared towards _Chichán_ , who looked up from where he was lying with hungry and sad eyes.

"Sean, are you going to the plaza tonight?" Asked Lupita in her improved English. Both her parents smiled, glad to know that they could count on such a smart daughter, and turned their heads towards the Diaz member.

"What about it?" Sean asked, happy to be talked in a language that he found easier to communicate in. He didn't have any problems with Spanish, though. He had grown up in a bilingual household anyways.

" _Nada_. Thought you were going to go out and take some aire with me, or something. I've got friends you can meet." She announced proudly.

"It seems interesting: maybe I can swing by later. Thanks again." Sean smiled.

Lupita smiled back, fixing the large-sized clip on her hair. Juan grinned and nodded in Sean's direction, approving before picking up his fork to continue the guest's delicious food.

" _Estamos muy agradecidos por los_ _tamales_." Said Juan, who had finished stuffing a spoonful of the main course into his mouth. He thanked Sean for his extra tray of food.

"No problemo." Sean answered, lifting his thumb up.

Camila smiled in his direction, picking up a _tamal_ from the casserole. Chichán proceeded to wag its tail and yelp for a bit, expecting the youngest girl to be generous with him. Sean concentrated on his broken, left back leg that was wrapped with a gauze. Chichán had a little bit of trouble walking, but Sean had done a good job changing the dressing and applying the special medicine for the dog.

" _Lograste hablar con tu hermano este mes?"_ Asked Camila in a worried tone. Deep inside, she knew something was off in between his guest and a neighbour who was a couple blocks away. She just wanted to make sure Sean had talked to his little brother Daniel that month.

" _S-Sí... No te preocupes. Está genial. Tiene amigos en Beaver Creek_." He answered, recalling that Daniel was doing great and making friends.

" _Eso es estupendo, sabes. Vuestro vínculo es uno de los más importantes de tu vida_." She replied, trying to give him an honest smile. Camila reminded him it was one of the most important links in his life, the one he shared with his little one.

He knew. Badly.

" _Lo sé."_ He said, admitting it. "Thanks."

"A pleasure!" Replied Camila in English, chuckling a bit. Juan wore the same expression on his face as he agreed, placing the fork calmly over the dish. The candles gave a really cottage aesthetic to it all, the perfect filter for the image of a happy and peaceful mexican family, sitting down for dinner.

" _Eres una gran persona, chamaquito. Estoy seguro de que Daniel te adora tanto como tú lo haces_." Said Juan with a calm and caring tone. He made sure to make Sean know that he was a great person, and assured him that his brother adored him as much as he did. " _Yo tengo una hermosa hija y tú tienes a un lindo hermano. Reconozco esa luz en tus ojos_." He added, telling him what he thought they had in common: that he had a daughter and that Sean had a brother, adding that he recognized that "light" in his eyes when he cared for him.

Sean's smile had died down a bit, though. His mind was recalling his picture one last time, while everyone else watched, and he finally exhaled in a defeated way. _Did he?_

Things were becoming more and more uncertain as the videocalls kept decreasing, and his texts gathered more and more lies. The mystery had been killing him since a long time. He really hoped Daniel still held a place in his heart, or a pleasant memory for his ' _big bro_ ' that had done almost everything he could to make him know he was loved.

Or at least a grudge.

" _Gracias, Juan. Lo echo de menos_." Answered Sean with a painful voice. He wanted to transmit his thankfulness and how much he missed little Daniel, in between the series of events and dramatic occurrences that build up his lifestyle in Mexico. " _Por cierto, me pueden llevar a la ciudad con vosotros el próximo mes?"_ He finally asked, trying to join them at their next trip to the city.

Juan stared towards Camila and then slowly turned towards Sean, with an undecipherable expression.

\--------------------------------------------------------

______________________________________

Beaver Creek, US

_Six months after the events at the border_

_December_  
______________________________________

(Old Yellow Bricks - **Arctic Monkeys** )

_You're the fugitive_  
_But you don't know what you're running from_

_You can't kid us,_  
_And you couldn't trick anyone_

_Houdini, love_  
_You don't know what you're running away from_

That was the day.

He wouldn't, couldn't and shouldn't wait more time to give them Karen's letter.

Daniel had dwelled over the matter for hours on end for the last two days and hadn't really concentrated on something else, thinking about possible scenarios and how to act upon them. He also ended up considering using his powers in case of need, but finally decided that it wasn't really necessary due to the fact that they'd probably get scared (his superpowers were something that still caused awe and doubts), would distract them and wouldn't know how to react.

It was a delicate matter that Daniel knew he had to deal with words and using the information he hardly remembered, recalling the times where he had talked through stuff with Karen, in order to answer the many questions he'd surely get. It wasn't something he was sure he could deal with alone, almost deciding to put the letter into an envelope and sending them anonymously to the couple, pretending not to be the remitter.

_You're at loss_  
_Just because_

_It wasn't all that you thought it was_

How could he possibly start that delicate conversation? He barely knew anything about Claire's and Karen's relationship, yet alone how to talk to them about his love for his rogue mother. Claire had deliberately stated that Karen wasn't a part of their life anymore, and that things weren't going to change. That tantrum in Karen's room had been obvious enough to warn Daniel not to walk into the room, leaping with joy along with the letter in hand. He had to put a different perspective to it, but how?

He wished Sean was there to tell him what to do. A whole much.

_You're a fugitive_

_But you don't know what you're running away from_

Daniel kept finishing his biology homework in between his daydreaming. Was it a reasonable decision, in the first place? Would Claire even want to know anything about her daughter? He had taken the letter because they both knew she would be arrested, it had been Karen's fair trade. Her mother's love proof.

But then there was the situation of a Karen trapped inside jail and two reluctant parents. How would they react if they suddenly wanted to see her, but confessed to them that Karen gave herself in for her two sons? Would they bear the pain?

Maybe talking to Chris would help. He had become his friend in many ways, and talking to the blonde and creative guy next door always helped him sort his ideas out a bit. They had lately been hanging out a lot, almost meeting at Daniel's home every two or three days. It definitely made the Diaz member a littler happier, and cheerful. He was part of the people he used to know and wanted to see, and after his great emotional encounter with Chris a few months ago, he had learned how to let go of his ghosts and add some fellowship and minimum positiveness to it all.

_Trying to forgive himself for his mistakes was a really compelling and healing action._

But his favourite medicine was Chris's friendship. He liked it next to him. He hadn't known back then, but he did now. When he came along and made his problems go away, he could just hop on top of an invisible cloud and drift off to a world where they were never getting hurt. Just them and their innocent and completing friendship. In his heart, it was Captain Spirit and Superwolf, two superheroes against the evil. _Just that this time,_ _Mantroid_ _was probably inspired in the blonde boy's father_.

He didn't want to make a move about that matter yet, though. It wasn't selfishness, he just wanted to know more about the situation, and figure out if he would have somewhere safer to drop dead that wouldn't involve the police and foster care. He didn't want to traumatise poor Chris; he wanted to help.

He finished scribbling the answers to questions about the earth layers before he received it.

 _Chris_ : _Dad promised to take me to the Comic-Con if the Beavers win next Monday!_

Daniel grinned, dropping the pen. His hand reached out to his new smartphone and unlocked it with a pattern password. He read the message again, before he curved his lips up in an accidental smile he wasn't aware of.

Daniel: _Does that mean he wants an excuse to drag you along to the match?_

Chris: _I know... We made a promise._

Daniel: _A promise or he's using you?_

Chris: _Don't worry, big baby, I'm getting what I want, I'll persuade him with Captain Spirit's telepathy superpowers!_

Daniel: _He better._

The young Diaz boy wanted for Chris's wish to come true badly. He hadn't seen him smile genuinely in too many time, and always cared that he got his daily dose of hugs and laughs. He read somewhere that sufficient endorphin levels guaranteed a more satisfactory and happier emotional life, so he made sure to piss him off enough in order to keep him "minimally happy", if that was the word.

Chris had been talking about the Comic-Con for two months, but his Dad instead had been reluctant. He used to care about Mustard Party events and stuff before, but according to Chris's latest reports, he was as ignorant as he could be these last months. He could only imagine his friend's disappointed look on his face after receiving a no, carrying a grey mood over himself for the whole day and making Daniel unaware of how to cheer him up, when the first thing that he would do would be taking him by the waist and strolling off towards the nearest city where Comic-Con would be celebrated, but sadly that was illegal and Daniel couldn't leave his household.

He just wanted the darn kid to get his trip and just live a happy day, without having to put up with alcoholism and domestic crap, even if they were just 'accidental' bruises.

His thin wrist wore a _Power Bear_ bracelet (those thick plastic ones that can be pulled a bit) that Chris had gifted him. Daniel's hand placed the phone over the table and continued scribbling. Some minutes later, though, his eyes couldn't help but dart again towards the device with a sadder expression.

Their last videocall had been weird. It was like, he wasn't himself anymore or 'something' of the sort. Sean's last message, days after their call, had been the peak of rareness where he asked him to register a new phone number as his own, and never contact the old one again. _But why so much mysteriousness?_ Couldn't he just ask to delete the old one, if he was changing devices? What did he mean, by not contacting that number again?

Daniel's despised heart sunk a bit when he remembered closing the laptop with a sketchy energy floating around him, telling him that something was off. Was Sean really telling him the truth? He knew well that he hadn't had trouble lying to him throughout the road trip, and that he did as he pleased after telling him what to do.

Daniel had wanted to ask his older brother for advice about Karen's letter but stopped himself from doing so as he felt that same instinctive reaction he had months ago when they first talked face to face. It was like meagy things were happening around him, but his young ten-year old ass and his little experience kept him from asking about delicate stuff and learning something he probably didn't want to.

Instead of being able to see his face and do storytelling about his worries and boring adventures of a house-arrest, he was in stupid Puerto Whatever.

"Fucking Puerto Wolves." He swore in a low tone, his voice spitting the place's name. He was looking at the device as he said so, thinking whether to start a conversation or not. " _Ah, I'll just leave it as it is. He should text once he's finished work."_ He thought.

And even though he tried to ignore that idea in his mind, the little sting in his heart made him realize that once again, he had pushed Sean a little further away.

Chris: Wyd?

The youngest Diaz member eyed the phone and quickly typed back, after unlocking the screen.

Daniel: Busy with homework.

Chris: How does long-distance study feel?

Daniel: It feels weird.

Chris: Do teachers ever talk to you?

Daniel: Not really. They just send me e-mails with the homework for the week.

Chris: Wow. That's... That's a bit cold.

Daniel: Better than having to get up at six on Mondays.

Chris: Yeah, right. At least you've got an advantage.

Daniel: I wish I could be in your class. I would love going to school.

Chris: You're really nice by saying that :) I also want you to come, it's so boring without you.

Daniel: Claire says you're more than welcome everyday, so... It's up to you.

Chris: I would love to. Speaking about boring... I'm so, so bored now! Is your place free?

Daniel: Are you serious? I'm doing homework alone. And also, it's Thursday. Tomorrow you can stay over if you want, finally!

Chris: We are going to piss our parents if we keep hanging on so much. Oh, whoops, sorry. Your grandparents I mean.

Daniel: Don't worry. It's okay. You wanna come?

Chris: Dude, you don't even have to ask! I always want to :)

Daniel felt a soft blush decorate his cheek as he read the message, feeling relief coming out of his body. He always liked it when the little blonde friend of his filled his room of laughter and his typical "everything will be okay" voice, bringing sweets or games over. It was nice.

He left the phone again over the table, upside down, and continued his work. The next question was a bit hard, making the book seem like a cocky and annoying bully, and it needed all of his attention. After thinking for a bit, Daniel exhaled, his body feeling heavy and tired from sitting down for so long. With the letter and Sean in his mind, the tension was starting to stack up on his shoulders, and wasn't making him feel well. Though, he tried to shake the worries away, and kept on scribbling what he thought was the answer to _what the mantle of the Earth was made of_ and similar questions.

Daniel's black pen wrote the sentences on the notebook, his expression remaining focused and unchanging. Doing homework at home was way more efficient and productive than at school, that was one thing he was sure about. He proceeded to change colors after he copied the question, writing the answer in blue. After five minutes, he finally moved onto the next page.

The young brunette boy was busy dwelling over the earthquake questions, when he heard the doorbell ring. Daniel's lips curved into an instant smile as he pushed himself away from the table and jolted up from his seat, into the upper hallway from the mezzanine. His feet, cold, were covered by thick socks and his left one felt suffocated, like always, by the device gripping to it. Daniel could get rid of it anytime, for sure, but due to the circumstances he just ought to obey the authority. He ran down the stairs, excitement filling his body as he trotted in direction to the main door and opened it, to see his friend standing in the portal with a tube of hair dye and a packet of cigarettes in his hands.

Daniel's eyes widened like plates at the sight of it, checking their surroundings quickly before cocking his head towards his friend.

"Chris! What the fuck?" He swore, breaking by far all of the rules of the kid's code along with his friend.

But Chris just swayed through the empty space between Daniel and the wall and walked inside, a naughty smile across his face as he looked around. "Are your grandparents here?"

Daniel flustered, closing the door with the movement of his wrist, thinking quickly. "Uh, n-no. Don't worry, they'll be back in some hours. They went to the supermarket." He said, walking fastly through the hallway and into the kitchen, where he was followed by Chris towards the cupboards. He proceeded to grab a new pack of _Chock-O-Crisps_ from it and gave them to his friend, before heading towards the stairs again. "They better not see you. We almost got caught last time with your fucking matches." He commented with a worried voice.

"They were just matches. And I wouldn't use them if I didn't know how to." Chris added, opening the pack as they went up the stairs. "We needed them to light up the candles, especially since Claire doesn't let us stay up late."

"You took an hour to learn how to." Daniel chuckled, arriving to the upper part of the mezzanine, where he repositioned a train truck that he had accidentally knocked off the trail days ago. "And you didn't even see shit."

"Huh? As if you could. You kept staring at me to do it." Chris chuckled.

"I created a fire at a _holy_ church, madboy. If anything, you couldn't lit up three candles without whining about how hot the match was." Daniel mocked, opening his door with his mind.

"Ha, ha. Fine. You win, superman." Chris replied, dropping the plastic bottle on top of his desk and stuffing the cigarette pack into his trousers. Daniel turned towards him, in middle of the vast silence that filled the house in that moment. Like anything could happen in that moment. He placed a hand over the table and stared towards the blonde boy who placed hands behind his back, mysteriously. _His room was an upright mess_. "I've got a plan for tonight, in case you didn't realize earlier. We could do some experimenting with... My hair!" Chris announced proudly. Daniel lowered an eyebrow instead.

"That's the baddest thing you can come up with?" Daniel asked superiorly. He chuckled. "Don't make me laugh."

Chris pressed his lips proudly, though, elevating his eyebrows too. "It's not necessary, since you're bad enough for a whole town. Which means you don't have enough control over anything yet." Daniel rolled his eyes. "We can start keeping our low profile by..."

"...By painting your hair to call everyone's attention. Smart." Daniel smiled, crossing his arms.

"...Try painting a streak of my hair which I'll hide under a cozy hat for the rest of the month. No one will ask." Chris added, taking out the packet of cigarettes.

"You're crazy." Daniel said with a surprised tone, starting to pack his homework and pencils up and placing them in drawers. "You're gonna get yourself busted, asshole."

"Which is why I come to you today. You're the worst, I get it. And I want the master to help me disguise my new experiment." Chris explained, tapping his fingertips with the others.

"You wanna do bad now?" Daniel crossed his arms, unable to hide his smile. _Chris trying to be bad was so unrealistic, if not cute._ He could picture his clumsy ways going against him trying to disguise his new hairstyle. But that was so Chris. "Well, I'm not any hairsalon boss, but I can definitely teach you the Diaz tricks."

Chris sat on the edge of Daniel's bed, stuffing his hands in between his legs for corporal warmth. He looked at Daniel and scanned him with his blue eyes, while the brunette finished closing the drawers. "You know, I think Dad is honest this time."

Daniel looked towards his friend quickly before placing the chair next to the table, and huffed.

"Like the time before?" Daniel replied. "He promised to take you to the sushi place, and instead he passed out on the couch while you were playing in your bedroom." He continued.

Chris looked downwards, still gripping to his desire to attend Comic-Con. He really wished that his father was being true to his wish that time. Daniel had advised him many times before, but he chose to hope things would change for the better, with baby steps.

Daniel walked slowly towards where his friend had sat down, and occupied the seat next to him with calmness.

"Painting your hair won't make you feel better about not going to Comic-Con, Chris."

Chris's stare hardened, looking towards the front. He then closed his eyes, while his knuckles started to tense again. Daniel observed him exhale, and leant a bit against him. His face leant in a bit to stare at his expression, but all he saw was a creative and awesome kid that felt pushed away.

His expression softened, instead. His brown eyes observed his friend, who didn't abandon his permanent reserved state.

"Let's surprise some pussies at school with some blue locks." Daniel said, placing a hand over Chris's. The soft touch proceeded to wake the blonde up from his short trance, who now exhaled deeply and stared towards Daniel. The tension slowly left his fingers as he let them meet his friend's, who brushed his thumb against Chris's palm.

Only then the blonde boy eased into a neutral but somewhat hurt expression, allowing himself to recognize the facts. Nevertheless, he could still use some bitching to kill the misery, and acting like he was okay with the situation wouldn't work.

"I really want to go this year. He kept promising me, over and over." Chris admitted quietly. His eyes wandered towards his wall, his mind drifting somewhere else. Daniel caught himself staring at him with an undecipherable expression, and failed to let go of his hand as he laid down on the bed, trying not to think about it. Chris caught the message and joined him shortly after, dropping dead over the mattress.

Both their bodies rested over the bed, joined by their intertwined hands as they soon discerned the phosphorescent little deco-stars on the brunette's ceiling. The calmness that had suddenly installed in the household, and their hectic little personalities had reached a deadpoint where they could just sit down, do nothing and the silence was comfortable. Karen's letter and the Comic-Con a bare idea in their minds now, while all that mattered right then was themselves and where they stood, the packet of Chock-O-Crisps yet to be opened and their plans for the night.

"I have a letter from my mom." Daniel confessed at last, after many months of mystery. "But my grandmother doesn't want to know anything about her."

Silence. Chris's expression turned into something else as his lips parted, surprised. His eyes looked downwards, thinking about a question.

"My mother left our home short after I was born. No one has forgiven her ever since." The brunette explained, feeling glad that his right hand had somewhere to grip on. Chris's thumb caressed his inner palm as he spoke, providing him some comfort, and listened carefully. "I do. Even Sean did, after Lizbeth used me."

Chris turned his head softly towards Daniel's face. His eyes sparkled with something, longing for some type of affection that had been long gone in his life. Daniel had been hurt before, many times. He could tell by the look in his face. The scars on his arm. _The wounds in his heart_. Chris had lost it all too, two years ago. His mother, his former girl best friend and the woman who he loved most in the world, had unfortunately passed away in a car accident that he wished never happened.

His mother, and her smile, her patient personality, her games... It had all been part of a crucial stage that held the rest of Chris's life on top, and started to tremble with the loss of Mrs Eriksen. Chris wanted her back badly, the same way Daniel wanted his father. And now he was gripping to the only thing he had left of his mother, who was in jail for supporting her child.

How could a mother disown her own child? Chris purposely didn't mean Karen.

"Does Claire still love your mom?" Chris asked.

"I think she does. She's always acting hurt and depleted." Daniel answered.

"Then it must be okay. I would want to know." Chris shrugged. "I mean, I don't think she's going to throw away a letter from her daughter."

"The last one she sent Claire ended up in the locked storage room." Daniel added. "The one after me and Sean appeared on the news the first time."

"I'm really sorry, Daniel." Chris managed to say. He closed his eyes and relaxed his hand, still linked to the brunette's, and caressed one of his fingers lazily against Daniel's.

Daniel remained silent, tilting his face finally towards his friend's. He was so lucky to have a friend. He was the only normal person in the world that didn't hate him, wanted something from him or was scared of his superpowers. It was like a blessing of those that Claire believed in. He had truly received a wink, or a "second shot" from life, by having had the pleasure to meet the blonde-haired little boy, who was starting to mean more to him than anything else in his world at that moment.

He knew by the way Chris's thigh crept on top of Daniel's in an innocent but obvious way. He brought his small but firm body closer, feeding each other an almost true sensation of authentic affection. The world almost felt safer in that little intangible atmosphere of theirs, a "secret" world that was starting to feel like a portal to a place where they needn't fight villains, true or imaginary ones, where only their friendship mattered. Whatever they had.

Their hands, part of the other now, caressing each other's fingers as Chris's heels pressed against the bed's end, taking off his sneakers. His right foot, with a black and "pizza pattern" sock, came close to Daniel's where he had been placed an ankle device. His toes slowly brushed against Daniel's foot, closing his eyes to finally rest his forehead next to his friend's, who had finally allowed himself to close his eyes and lean in, snuggling furtherly and caressing his foot against Chris's.

He didn't know what they were doing at that moment, but it was awesome. He could tell by the mutual silence that they shared the same ignorance revolving around that matter, but didn't seem to care since no one could explain anything anymore. Daniel just kept his forehead glued to the blonde's, saying no words to express his chaotic and repressed feelings, but sharing it all with one single touch of his sensitive side, a part of him that needed caring, communication and closure.

 _One that needed a friend like Chris_.

"Daniel... Everything will be okay." Chris brought himself to say. "You know what to do better than me, anyway." He croaked silently.

"Thank you, Chris." He whispered with a croaked voice, his voice unable to break such a resting silence. That small speck of determination that his eyebrows held, hinted the blonde that worries would never be erased from his head, even though they could run away from them for a while.

The caress that Daniel's thumb received was the only answer he needed.

\-----------

If they had slept in a moment, he hadn't realized. Daniel slowly opened his eyes, batting his eyelashes with some difficulty to wake up to his bedroom lights on, and an empty bed to his left. _What?_

He could tell it was already nighttime, due that the illumination that came from the only obvious source of light. His chest inflated and deflated, calm, as he heard some voices coming from downstairs thanks to the open door. It was Chris and Claire, setting something up in the kitchen while Stephen messed with his trains on the hallway.

Daniel poked his cheeks as he sat straight on his bed, massaging his neck as he observed, sleepily, the floor below him. A minute later, after thinking vaguely about the events that had occurred earlier with Chris, he managed to get up entirely and walk outside of his room, not before picking up his oversized cardigan which he threw around his shoulders.

He walked past Stephen with a soft "Hello" as he yawned, in direction to the mezzanine balcony, where he leant his body against it, crossing his arms over his cardigan which he tightened around his cold body. Chris was proudly helping Claire place homemade cookies in the oven while the woman regulated the temperature of the device. The blonde boy's smile spread over his face, causing the brunette to tilt his head and stare at him with a different kind of adoration he'd never felt before.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty." Chris said with certain excitement in his voice.

"You didn't wake me up." He complained, still tired.

"Claire asked me for help, though." He shrugged, innocently. "It was just going to be a moment. I wasn't going to let you miss out." He smiled.

 _I wasn't going to let you miss out_. Those words stayed inside Daniel's mind, for some reason, as he stared at the situation happening below him, a few boxes placed on the centre and the new Christmas tree ready to be decorated.

"You should come down and start decorating that tree, kid." Claire said with a busy voice, before checking that the cookie figurines were placed correctly over the oven tray. "Don't make your friend wait."

"I'm coming." Daniel chuckled, rolling his eyes and pulling off the balcony, which was decorated with fairy lights and green colour.

Stephen readjusted his glasses and nodded towards the kid before watching him trot downstairs, hiding a smile. The brunette returned the grin as he walked by, wondering when he could catch the next train.

When Daniel made it into the living room, he received Chris's loyal smile and watched him kneel beside the tree, where a box with decorations waited for people to get them out. He inhaled and exhaled deeply, watching Chris pick some of his favorite colours.

"You coming?" The blonde boy asked, getting out some objects from the box.

"Yeah, wait for me." He replied, more animatedly now.

He knelt beside his friend and moved objects with his wrist, finding the "star on top" and levitating it from the box with just a thought. They experimented with some colours and shapes until both were satisfacted with them, making time until the cookies were done.

"There's Stroganoff for dinner. Hope you children like it." Claire announced while cleaning the dishes.

Suddenly Chris's spirit elevated to the sky, placing a foot in front of him. "Are you kidding? I love that dish!"

"Yeah. She makes some nice Stroganoff. I enjoy it." Daniel added while adding another colourful ball to the tree.

"If you call Stephen, let's have dinner." Said Claire while placing the clean dishes on the other side.

Good. Daniel dropped the ball he had just picked and let it clank against the rest, before getting on his feet. "STEPHEN! DINNER'S READY!" He yelled, waiting for the elder figure to start moving from his seat.

An hour later, Chris and Daniel were busy picking the table up while Claire used the vacuum cleaner on the living room. Stephen turned on the TV to watch some action film, and was resting over the couch while the kids placed washed bowls and cups over the dish rack.

"That food was delicious." Chris said happily.

"Say thanks to Claire. She's a great cook, when she isn't ranting to me about safety tips and homework." Daniel replied, placing a cup upside-down on the rack.

"I wanna know how to cook that. Who cares if I'm ten." He announced. "I could make us Stroganoff whenever Claire can't."

Daniel chuckled, liking the idea of an independent friend feeding him his favourites while the elder weren't around. But, according to the events with the matches, Chris wouldn't be able to switch the gas on properly and would end up calling Daniel to save the kitchen from burning.

"Keep on dreaming, madboy." Daniel replied. "I'll bend in front of you if you ever manage."

"Well, if I didn't have to live up to that name of yours, that you call me."

Daniel smiled towards him in a sincere way. Chris returned the gesture while grabbing a cup that Daniel had just cleaned and helped placing it to their right. The blonde boy came close to his face and whispered into his ear.

"Are you going to help me with my hair?" He asked enthusiastically.

"Are you going to open that cigarette box?" Daniel replied with certain reproach.

Chris chuckled softly. "You know I will. But don't worry, you don't have to try it."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "You're nuts."

"A madboy?" He mocked.

The young Diaz member nudged his shoulder softly, and closed the tap. Chris dried his hands with a small towel before passing it over to his friend, before wishing Claire a happy night and disappearing through the hallway.

Daniel quickly dried his hands and followed, before being stopped in his tracks by Claire. The woman wore a preoccupied look whole she stared at her grandson.

"Is everything okay with Chris, honey?" She asked carefully. "He looks a bit off."

Uh-oh.

"Uh, n-no. I don't think so. He's his usual fun and careless self." He lied.

"He's been... Cocky, lately." She added. "Are you sure he's totally okay?"

"Yes, Claire. I think so." Daniel reassured her, trying to walk away slowly. He readjusted a photo frame over the table.

"It's okay if he told you any secret, honey. I just want to know if I can help in anything." Claire informed, sure of herself at last.

Not yet, Claire. Not yet.

"I know, Claire. He's been very rebelled lately. I'm just trying to find out." He confessed at last, turning to face her. "I'll figure something out. Don't worry."

Claire replied with an honest smile. "You're an angel, Daniel. Like, not that thing that woman tried to turn you into. You're smart and nice." She said, caressing his hair before pulling away. "Go, go and play with your friend now. Just pay some attention to signs, okay? Try and help him." Claire finished.

"I will. Thanks, Claire. For caring." He said, starting to walk. He received a generous smile from his grandmother and left for the stairs.

In the bathroom, Chris was washing his teeth. Daniel followed the light and joined him in the tiled room, sitting over the closed toilet. The blonde boy turned while brushing his teeth, and smiled as well as he could, turning to the front.

"Wait, I'll join you." Daniel said, getting up and walking over to the sink, before having a brush in his hand with a flick of his wrist.

He placed some toothpaste on it before wetting it and proceeded to do the same with his mouth, now both of them making little scratching noises and using the water when they were done.

Five minutes later, Daniel locked the door of his bedroom after following his friend inside. Chris took out the hair dying bottle from one of his drawers (a cheap paint with a pirate logo on it) and the packet of cigarettes, before placing them over the bed. He crawled on top of it, and sat in front of the objects, while Daniel put on some music on his phone. He connected it to his little speakers and lowered the volume enough, throwing some shirts and trousers into the clothes basket.

"I was thinking a little streak of hair, beneath my bangs." Chris started, leaning against the wall.

"That's good, since your interest is to disguise." Daniel commented, while picking up his drawing sketchbook and shoving it into his nightstand drawer.

"It's a nice blue, like the sky." He continued. "I bet you'll even like it."

"I don't dye my hair." Daniel said, trying to appear as a responsible friend who didn't follow his other one into his mischiefs.

"Well, you can just watch." He shrugged, opening the bottle. Then he stopped. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're really expecting to just put that thing over your hair?" He asked, elevating an eyebrow.

Chris looked to his sides, confused. "Y-Yeah?" He asked.

Daniel snatched the bottle away from him, receiving a soft but annoyed "hey!". He looked at him.

"You gotta wear gloves to use this thing. You're gonna set your hands alight." He chuckled, before a now blushing Chris.

The blonde boy scratched his neck and took the bottle back, closing it. "Y-Yeah, I was testing your bodyguard skills. Caution and stuff." He excused himself, shifting in his place.

"Because you're such a madboy that needs a bodyguard." Daniel said with elevated eyebrows. Chris rolled his eyes and huffed. The brunette smiled in his place, unfolding his arms instead. He crept onto the bed with him. "Hey, don't hurl. I'm going to get gloves for you, okay?" He reassured his blonde friend.

"Fine, thanks." Chris replied, a bit shy. "I'll wait here, and, I don't know, read the instructions before I mess up."

Daniel chuckled before getting up and opening the door, disappearing for a minute before coming back with a pair of vinyl gloves. When he came back, Chris was busy reading the blue bottle. The brunette, thinking about ways to cheer his reserved friend up, closed the door with his mind and dropped by his side.

"Here's some gloves." He said, placing them next to him.

Daniel then grabbed the cigarette pack and unboxed it, throwing the plastic away. Chris's eyes recovered some glitter while he put the gloves on, staring at his own hands as if he'd tattooed them.

"Nothing like a strand of blue hair and a cigarette to back the bad guys off." Daniel said with proudness. "You'll be my special guest, sent to school to complete some missions and gather personal data."

Chris widened his eyes and wow-ed.

"Captain Spirit, at your services. Who do we bust tomorrow, since it's Friday and the perfect day to scamper off without getting caught?"

Daniel placed his hands beside his body, leaning a bit backwards, staring at the wall over Chris's head. Then he stared into the pair of blue eyes, who were expecting his answer with sudden enthusiasm.

"I want you to... Uh..." Daniel looked around, thinking. Chris awaited, scratching his chin. "Well, you can set fire to the gym, steal the biscuit flavoured custard pots from the dining room, place tacks on your most hated teacher's chair..." He said.

Chris leant against the wall again, looking at the ceiling. "But those are things only _you_ can do. I can gather information about you at school."

Daniel shrugged. "What for? I don't care, it's all made-up lies and bullshit anyway."

"What is something you would love to do at school but can't right now?"

Daniel pulled a grimace, opening the cigarette box to pull out a cylinder-shaped killer weapon. Then he placed it in between his lips, staring at Chris with a haughty expression.

"Let's spy on those Beavers to make sure we get your ass to Comic-Con. I'll figure something out." Daniel announced, finally. Chris sat up straight, listening with open interest. "Bring it on. Let's paint that hair of yours."

"And you say you're going to help? What's the plan?" He asked back.

"If we're gonna intrude into a basketball game, we first have to know what we're doing. I can't just move the ball at my own will, I have to know what the deal's about." Daniel informed. "I know it doesn't make any sense, but knowing what's going to happen can help us prevent defeat."

"But, wait, you can't get out!"

"That's what I'll try and figure out." Daniel recalled. "I can make it a one-timer."

"Fuck yes!" His eyes shined.

Chris smiled, opening the bottle and applying some product into his hands, while Daniel took out a hair clip (which he had grabbed along with the gloves earlier) and placed a soft strand of Chris's golden silk hair on top of his head, staring at the smooth vanilla-scented locks with devotion. Then he stared into Chris's ocean eyes, with whom he shared an intimate but wordless conversation, and fastened his strand of hair with the silvery and shiny accessory.

Fifteen minutes later, Daniel escorted Chris to the bathroom to have the dye product washed off, and used the hair dryer for a quick result. Daniel's body, close to his friend's for a better view of his hairdresser job, remained static but comfortable, as his hand ruffled his streak of hair, becoming hotter each second until it was completely dry.

When Chris turned towards the mirror, he gasped softly. Daniel watched the friend beside him, happy and curious about his new little experiment he was going to try and be so secretive about. His hair, completely blonde and untouched except for a little electric blue streak, shined under a different light now. It made Chris touch his new hairstyle with interest, brushing his fingertips past where it held a different texture from the rest, a little stiff and artificial smoothness gripping to his blue strand of hair.

It was...

"Awesome." Daniel finished his thought, staring at Chris with an undecipherable expression. The blonde boy stared back at him, deeply locking eyes again for probably the thousandth time since they met.

Chris didn't want to say anything, and that was okay. How could he talk about something he didn't understand? Where they faking the adult role so much that they didn't get the rules? Was there something to talk about, at all? Daniel gulped as his favourite blue pair of eyes aimed at his brown ones, and refused to break contact as Chris's stare only shined even more, gratitude sparkling in it.

"Thanks for doing this for me, Daniel." Chris said. "Papa would kill me if he found out." Daniel smiled shyly while he came close to his friend's body until they felt each other's embrace, and took care of the hair clip, placing the blonde strand of hair on top of his blue mischief, hiding the lunacy beneath it.

This whole time Chris stared at the brunette with realization, feeling confused at their unsurprising trust for physical and platonic touch, feeling glad that Daniel wouldn't or just didn't judge him for these things. He sometimes felt scared that Daniel wouldn't like it, hugging and snuggling and chilling out together, after what seemed to have been a sweet encounter in their first reconciliation snuggle. Chris didn't like pushing things, but as a ten year old he didn't know better than just asking directly about stuff that worried him and coming to terms with effective solutions. Nevertheless, when the little troubled kid locked eyes with him it was over.

Just like in that moment. Chris softened his look, wondering if things would be different as they grew up. He scratched his elbow with shyness.

Daniel thought about his question, pulling slowly away. His eyes shined in direction to his friend, who shyly placed a strand of hair behind his ear. "No one's going to punish you, don't worry." He said. "It's bust-proof. And if he tries to hurt you or screams at you, I'll come and help you."

Chris rolled his eyes.

"But your ankle monitor will call the cops on you. Dumbass." He said, looking at himself in the mirror once again.

"Then I'll get the swing of things from my window." Daniel shrugged.

"You won't manage to see anything." He frowned.

"Try me." The brunette chuckled.

"You won't, Superwolf."

"Don't you even try and dare me, Madboy." Daniel threatened, pointing at him lazily with his finger.

"It's Captain Spirit." He rolled his eyes.

" _Madboy_ during the day." He replied quickly, before pulling away from him. He then started to plug the hair dryer off and roll the cable around the device.

Chris groaned in an annoyed way, followed by a soft laugh. Daniel placed the hair dryer into a drawer and smiled towards his friend before leaving for his bedroom, short joined by the blonde.

"Hearing you insist on troublemaking just to help get me to Comic-Con, really inspires me." Chris whispered into his ear before passing him by.

Daniel stopped in his tracks, checking his ear with bewilderment, just to find out that the buzzing sensation didn't come from there, but from his stomach instead.

\-----------

_12pm, Midnight_

"The last one, c'mon." Chris groaned softly as he gripped onto the table board. He chew a piece off the Chock-O-Crisp as he pleased.

"Okay, okay." Daniel huffed, picking up the red and white dices again. He didn't usually plan on staying that much awake, but since Chris was there he didn't want to be such a party pooper, and shook the objects again before tossing them over the board.

Chris had finally managed to light up five or six candles in less than fifteen minutes, unlike last time. They had placed them across the room, to cheer the vibe a bit up and not fall asleep before all of the fun had been enjoyed. Daniel had spent one or two hours ranting with Chris about their secret mission plan, already plotting against teachers, their family and even Charles, if they ever found themselves in the need to. Getting to Comic-Con was a rigorous scheme that only Superwolf and Captain Spirit could carry out, and it was important that they anticipated themselves to any inconvenience. But after many restless minutes of maps, scribbles, crazy ideas and possible endings, Chris just figured out they could do some _Ship, Captain and Crew_ to refresh their minds.

"A full ship!" He whispered excitedly, placing the dices over the respective figures. He was careful not to make noise, looking at Chris proudly before watching him throw.

No full ship. Daniel bit from Chris's Chock-O-Crisp, since they had wolfed down the whole box and were no bars left to share.

"Almost! Done better before." Chris groaned again, quieter. He placed a hand over his chin, deceived. Daniel instead, was just fixing glimmering eyes on him.

"It's a fair game." Daniel replied, watching him struggle.

"It's not when you have a cheater as an opponent." Chris complained, stacking up the dice.

"Stop being such a big baby. I'm not even doing anything." Daniel smiled, picking up the dice again.

"At least don't let me win. It's the most humiliating thing you can do to a superhero." The blonde one grumbled, staring at him while he covered himself in the sheets. It was getting cold. And late.

Really? He found out? Daniel snorted quietly, observing him cover his legs with the mattress while he shivered on the opposite side.

"I don't let anyone win. I just miss out." He quickly invented.

They threw the dices in turns, the brunette collecting more points than Chris as the minutes went by. At some point, they scribbled the scoreboard with their high scores and tossed the pencil over the notebook, exhausted.

"I'm over this stupid game." Chris whined, getting ready for bed as he covered himself fully in the sheets and leant his head against a pillow.

"You always say that when you loose." Daniel replied, placing the board game apart. He then stood quietly up and, under Chris's tired look, he blew out all of the candles before joining his friend under the thick blanket. "But it's okay, you're never a looser for me."

"Me too. Not even when you felt miserable for abandoning Sean."

Chris's eyes slowly closed, and clutched to a portion of the blankets as Daniel's look darkened, even in between the pitch blackness. He softly put the sheets aside and snuggled inside, covering his body again.

In the pitch-black darkness, he felt Chris's hand reach out for his, which the brunette immediately corresponded. His hands felt cold, which contrasted with Daniel's hot palms. The young mexican descendant proceeded to wrap his hands around Chris's cold fingers, and carefully nuzzled closer to his friend for body temperature. As the minutes went by, Chris stood silent as he exhaled a little exhausted, and their bodies turned warmer. At some point Chris's silence worried Daniel.

"Are you okay?" He whispered.

"No." He said, waiting a few seconds. "I mean, I don't know. I trust my father to help me most of the time, but things like the one's I've told you about, it just..."

Daniel aimed his look at Chris, and flashed him an antsy pair of eyes while he observed the despondent expression of his blonde friend.

"Are you afraid you might not get along with your Dad?" He prompted placidly.

"Yeah." He huffed. "I don't want him to lose it everytime, like he does. Mom is gone, but I don't want that to take him away from me." Chris woefully leant his head against the pillow, aiming shining eyes at Daniel.

Then he slowly separated his fingers and tentatively searched for his friend's. The brunette let his hand slip in between his, and slowly intertwined them together.

"You should tell him that as soon as you can, Chris. I'm not a father, but mine liked it when I told him I loved him, even when it was a trick of mine." Daniel whispered again, talking quietly and closely to his neighbor best friend.

Chris looked at him with an undecipherable expression, holding onto his hand. Daniel found himself, surprisingly, doing the same thing as they both stood like that, in silence, holding to the other in a comfortable tranquility. Daniel had a stupid worry in his mind about if they secretly hated each other lately, due to random restless and somewhat tense moments in between them. All the information he had is that neither Sarah or Noah made him feel like that, not even Lyla whom he had tried to summon with his player tricks. But not the friend lying next to him. Chris was an uncharted territory.

Curiously, under Chris's look and embracing in their moment, he had realized that whatever it was, it wasn't nervousness but something wonderful instead. It was different. Like a super-duper-awesome friend that just won a limited-time medal. Something of the sort.

"I think you should send your mother's letter." Chris murmured.

"You think so?" He answered. "I mean, just like that?"

"When, then, Superwolf?" He asked with a sweet voice.

Daniel looked aside, thinking about it. "The more I think, the worse it'll become."

"Maybe." He added with a hopeful tone. Daniel smiled at him.

The contrary mirrored him, before closing his eyes again. He exhaled, tired, and maintained his grip on his friend's hands as he slowly and deliberately fell asleep.

Daniel looked downwards, repairing in the little ray of moonlight flashing across the room, and wondered if he was ever, if he even deserved it at that point, a part of Sean's main priority list, being dozens of thousands of kilometres apart.

 _I'm sorry Sean,_ he thought.

_I really am._

\---------------------------------------------------------

_______________________________________

Puerto Lobos, México

 _December_  
_______________________________________

(Ahora Que Te Vas, Bachata Vr.- **Christian Daniel** )

_Today I wake up with a shattered soul_

_Today I wake up without wanting to say goodbye_

Sean watched how the flames licked the air with mischievousness, in its own charming but wicked silence, as his blank expression refused to change since an hour ago.

_Go away slowly so i can hardly hear you leave_

_Go away quietly so I can hardly hear your voice_

_I can't deny my fear_  
_to face life without you_

It was quarter past midnight in town. The stars shined high up in the sky and the palm trees swayed, the air somewhat cooler than before. The wood that crackled and sizzled below the flames continued to burn, reflecting in Sean's eyes, as he tried to cool down the rage that had extended from the afternoon to his present moment, now slowly fading away as Sean chose not to give it anymore power.

_And now that you leave_

_Take my whole life away_

_I don't know where you'll go_

_But I understand you have to leave_

He could almost see the smile of his brother's in the reflections in between the flames. It was like he was starting to remember him with every smell, every sound and every touch. It was like all of it painfully reminded him of Daniel.

_And now that you're away_

_Remember that love awaits_

_And even though you'll never come back_

_I promise to never forget you_

Lupita's ex-boyfriend (he couldn't yet bring himself to say his name) had drugged her in a party that was supposed to be chill, and had gathered his friends to take advantage on Lupita. The poor girl, who had proven herself to be meek and delicate to her boyfriend without even thinking he could be such an asshole, was almost seriously hurt by her own boyfriend and his gang.

Her friends, who had gone out looking for her, were able to make it in time to their little hideaway, realizing that Lupita's boyfriend's true intentions was to make her life a ruined misery. Her ex-boyfriend was reported to the police some hours later, but the justice system in the country was pretty crappy and there hadn't been much done about it. Now that guy was still free, walking down the streets hunting down for weak girls to call his girlfriend, and ruin them too.  
Some men seriously just thought with their dick.

That day, Lupita had come home with a broken expression and worried parents with a medical diagnosis under their arm. They even called his day off and asked for some space and discretion, leaving Sean to dwell over the few words Juan had blurted out with a wrecked voice and a terrible expression, before closing the door in his face. Sean gave up after ringing two more times, and finally strolled towards the beach. His steps were heavy, enraged, until he arrived at the sea shore where he let out a fretful scream.

_Danger was really behind anyone's back._

He spent the rest of the afternoon hiding out in the empty house next to the beach, hoping that the man he had sold his self-esteem to a month ago wouldn't find him. He didn't do much, other than eating a cheap spicy-fish taco (typical from Lower California) along with a can of beer and trying to get his thoughts right. He generally just tried to keep his rage at bay and not stress himself out to a point of becoming depressed again.

As the sun came closer to the horizon, though, his initial rage had cooled down a bit and found himself able to do some psycho-analysis about the events. His whole day had been consumed worrying and overthinking things, wondering how Lupita would be coping, knowing the danger's name and how it had smelled her fears.

Sean was really starting to learn how not to trust people he already knew.

A few hours later, the town had gathered in the plaza to put music and grill food out in the fresh air, the place soon adopting a familiar and friendly vibe and a general spicy smell floating everywhere. They had made a fire in the centre of the plaza, that Sean had spotted and sat next to, and the owners of their souvenir shop _Tocho Morocho_ opened their premises to serve cocktails under a huge neon sign. The air soon filled with the dense meat smell, mexican beats and spanish exclaiming. It was late, but there were outdoor string lights clinging onto building corners and lamps that flickered, hosting insect parties at the source of their light.

Late nighters were normal neighbours there, it seemed. Sean never missed out though, and as true as he stayed to himself, there he was. His "Squad" hoodie pressed against his skin, like always, his leather jacket around his shoulders giving him some warmth, and his hair fell over his eyes rebelliously, screaming for a haircut that the administrator wasn't going to provide.

Some minutes later, a neighbour called Sebastián (Ramona's husband) came by to offer him a slice of meat in a paper plate, which he kindly refused. He wished him a nice evening then, watching him go with a tired expression.

His eyes stared profoundly towards the fire, passionately wanting to sit on top of it and just burn to death slowly and painfully, while people cheered and danced around him in a faraway world.

His new phone, an old version of a Samsung that he bought just to have a Skype account of his own and owned with a prepaid card, laid peacefully next to him. His eyes darted towards the device every few seconds, ready to protect his treasure with his fists if he had to. That stupid device that had cost him blood, sweat and tears was everything he had left, and at the same time almost seemed insignificant to him. So many effort and submission just for a fucking phone to call his brother. It was pathetic. Even Lyla would feel ashamed to know his life expectations had lowered to fulfilling such primitive needs.

At least he had accomplished his mission for the year: a house and a phone to call Daniel. He was good to start, and having completed those two tasks before the end of year kind of eased him.

Suddenly, the phone screen lit up and he was able to distinguish the different components of it: his internet connection to _Tocho_ _Morocho_ 's WiFi, his battery percentage and the hour, _0:37_. Nevertheless, all that Sean paid attention to was the name that appeared in his Whatsapp notification.

 **enano** : Hi, Sean...

Sean fidgeted surprised, the water film over his eyes slowly drying. What? What was Daniel doing awake? Also, he had remembered to write? He sat up straight again and held the phone in between his hands, unlocking the phone screen with a pattern: W for wolf.

Sean: Enano... I missed you...

Sean's eyes started watering again, feeling like a sucker for keeping his shit straight when it came to his younger brother. Fuck, it was so hard without him.

So much.

 **enano** : Me too, but you've been so busy lately...

Sean: I'm so sorry, dude, I told you I had to keep this job.

 **enano** : I know, I know. New house, new debts, it's not easy.

Sean: The house is okay and i have enough food, don't worry. The furniture is okay. I'm sleeping over a mattress that they gifted me on my first week.

 **enano** : Sean, stop it, I know you're not homeless.

 **enano** : Please.

 **enano** : Stop making it look like everything's okay. It's not. I miss you.

Sean stopped typing about whatever matter he was talking about and erased the comment before he sent something else. He read his text over and over, his heart sinking deeper every time.

Shit. Daniel was not okay.

Were his lies too obvious?

Sean: Enano...

 **enano** : Why, Sean

 **enano** : Why do I have to erase that number and never contact it again? What the fuck is going on? Why do I feel like you're lying again?

Sean: Little cub...

 **enano** : Okay, leave it. It's okay.

Sean: Dude, I'm sorry... Don't leave just yet.

 **enano** : I wasn't going to.

Sean: Okay.

 **enano** : Fine.

Daniel was pissed, that was for sure. Sean finally let himself exhale, stressed out. He waited some seconds, thinking what to write to his brother, with whom he had shared the adventure of his life with and also their worst heartbreak. Were they really going through a crisis now?

Sean: Dude, the reason why I said that is because... I borrowed someone else's laptop to call you. That person is bad, and I don't want you to get involved. Do I need to explain to you?

 **enano** : Fuck, Sean! Fuck it.

Sean: Daniel, listen...

 **enano** : I hope you didn't do anything weird to get favours or shit like that.

Sean: No, little cub. I swear, it's not like that.

 **enano** : You know?

Sean: What...

 **enano** : I'm unhappy with you right now. This is not fair.

Sean: Daniel, listen...

 **enano** : I don't want to talk to you.

Sean: Enano, please. I'm sorry, yeah? I do what I can. Please.

 **enano** : Please let me alone and leave me think.

There. He felt his little brother slip away right in front of him. Like some beautiful rocks that had turned into sand with the erosion of lies, bullshit and distance.

Sean's eyes watered.

Sean: Daniel.

Sean: Daniel, please. Let me explain.

 **enano** : Explain what? That you lie to me? That you lied when Dad died, that you lied to me through the trip, that you're lying to me now???

 **enano** : Can you be any less dishonest?

 **enano** : You don't know how hard it is for me to miss you! Everyday! Closing the laptop and not hearing from you for days! Weeks! Are you ghosting me?

Sean: No, fuck, no! Why would I ghost you my little cub... You're the only reason why I don't shoot myself right now... You're my only anchor...

Sean: You're everything I want in life. It's okay for me as long as you're okay.  
I die for you.

Sean: Day by fucking day, Daniel. It's so hard that I can't bear it.

Silence. His heart was beating like crazy, threating with shaking his ribs like a cage.

Sean: I would fucking shoot myself in the face for you, Daniel.

Sean: If it means that you'll live instead of me.

Silence. Sean's anxiety started building up in his chest, blurring his thoughts. No. Not now.

Please.

 **enano** : ...

 **enano** : i want you

 **enano** : here, in Beaver Creek

 **enano** : growing up together

 **enano** : I don't like this. I miss you too much. I'm used to you, Sean. I don't know how to deal with this alone. I need help with my depression. Our dead father. Mom's letter.

Sean: Me neither, little cub. I swear to you that I would join you in a heartbeat. I would give up whatever I'm doing to starve in the desert on my way to you. I want to go with you wherever you go too.

Sean: I promise that it's true. All of it. Every word.

Sean: I want you in my life. Even if it's us where we are right now.

Sean: ...

Sean: Okay?

Silence. Sean was already crying like a pig, his face red and his left eye decorated with tear stain. The quietness from Daniel's side hinted him that he was maybe digesting it too, fighting his own demons or having a good cry.

He felt even worse now.

 **enano** : I love you, Sean.

Sean: You have no idea how much I do. You could never know.

Sean: Never.

 **enano** : Please try and tell me the truth. Please. I want to help.

Sean: You help me by being you, and being the intelligent and strong fighter you already are. You're great at that. Okay?

Sean: And please, go and have some rest now. It's too late for you to be awake.

 **enano** : Yeah, okay, I'll go and sleep. Chris is sleeping right beside me.

Sean: Careful, don't wake him up. And you too, go to sleep, both of you!

 **enano** : Sean..?

Sean: Yes, Daniel?

 **enano** : I have Karen's draft for Claire and Stephen.

Sean gasped. Really? Daniel had picked it up in Away, in their last day? He thought he had been busy chilling out with Joan. This new sneaky and thieving personality from his side was new to him. So Karen's letter was in his hands now...

Sean: You have Karen's letter in your pockets?

 **enano** : I almost forgot it in the laundry machine. It was so close!

Sean: Oh, enano! For the love of God...

 **enano** : I know, I know... I want things to improve, Sean. All you needed was some talking and closure with Mom, in the end. I just... I want things to not be such a piece of crap.

Sean: Enano...

Sean: Man. That was bold from you. What are you going to do?

 **enano** : That's why I need your help. I can't just give it to Claire. The third world war might as well start in Beaver Creek this century.

Sean chuckled, surprised at his younger brother's intelligence, and looked for one second at the way the palm trees slowly serpentined, seducing the beach, before turning his stare to the screen. To Daniel.

Sean: So that's why you called me today...

 **enano** : And because I miss you loads. So much that I feel guilty. Why don't we talk more?

Sean: It's our choice, enano.

 **enano** : I will, talk more I mean. I promise. Super-duperly. But going back to the topic: what the fuck do I do? Chris thinks I should deliver it.

Sean: Claire can't believe she'll receive something like that. Receiving a letter from your dissappeared daughter must be hard, enano.

 **enano** : I know. What do I do, then?

Sean: I think you should sit them down, like a grown-up. You're a grown-up, Daniel. Even though you look small.

 **enano** : I am?

Sean: Of course. You picked the letter up knowing what you were doing. It doesn't make much sense to just throw it away, right? Be the lovely Diaz that you are, be brave and show them the letter. Claire will hurl and cry for a bit, but she'll love to hear from Karen.

 **enano** : Thanks a lot, Sean.

Sean: Just, use your words Daniel. No powers. Explain everything that happened in Haven Point, Away. Explain how you bonded. Explain that you found this letter, and that it's for them. Because you haven't yet, right?

 **enano** : Of course, they didn't even ask.

Sean: Good.

Sean: I love you, enano.

Sean's tear flowed down his cheek, finally exhaling peacefully. Another victory in wicked heaven, he thought, as he received one last message.

 **enano** : Sean? Could you do one last thing for me?

Sean: Everything that you want.

 **enano** : Can you call me mijo now? Like dad used to..?

Sean: Of course, little cub. Now go to sleep.

 **enano** : Okay, okay...

Sean: Buenas noches, _mijo_.

A depleted and relieved exhale from the other side of the line came out of the younger brother's mouth, fulfilled at last.

_____________________________________

\------------------------------------------------------

Beaver Creek, US

_Two days later_

_____________________________________

The blonde figure tossed his backpack on his bedroom floor, while Daniel was still busy dwelling over numbers and signs, holding his forehead with concentration. "Yo, Superwolf." Chris wore a Christmas hat that he showed off, turning around in a circle, trying to call Daniel's attention, to which he mumbled a soft "hello".

"Double sleepover this weekend. Confirmed." Chris announced, excited. He took out the blue lock of hair from under his hat, triumphant. "This really does give me the job."

Daniel chuckled, scribbling the answers in the math sheet. "Did you buy what I told you to?" He asked, looking at his friend before focusing on his homework again. "Nice hat, by the way."

"Now thank you." Chris thanked happily, bowing. "And yes, I did. They're in my bag."

Daniel mumbled incoherent sentences while he wrote numbers, soon erasing them and starting again. He only stopped to grab a Chock-O-Crisp, as Chris slumped over the edge of the bed, taking out his brand new pink Nintendo DS. It had a _Star VS The Forces of Evil_ strap clinging from it and it was relatively new, since Chris had begged for it for Christmas. But as the naughty little kid he was, he had sneaked out of his room during the night and stole the device, plugging it to charge overnight under his bed.

He was then playing _Barbie and the 12 Princesses_ , a game that had been more than 50% off in the game store, where the man selling him the game stared weirdly at him when he refused to wrap it as a gift. He didn't know why.

He was controlling the blonde princess through a forest path, collecting heart coins and jumping to higher platforms as he waited for Daniel to be done with homework. As the minutes passed by, Chris continued to complete missions and meet other characters and princesses.

"Do you want to try a cigarette?" Chris asked in a very random way, hitting the "A" button as the princess mocked the level boss running away from her teleportation tricks. The console produced high-pitched noises and wheezing sounds as Chris's stare focused on grabbing the object.

"Someday I will, since you suffocate me so much." He joked. "Heh, I'm joking. I don't know. How did it feel?"

"It stinked. But I was the first to know in my class."

"You're savage, Chris..."

"Glad to know I can top my superhero friend sometimes." He chuckled while the princess won the castle level. "Level up."

"Aww... Feeling threatened again, Madboy?" He chuckled, finishing his homework at last. He didn't bother to pack up while he trotted towards the bed, where he snuggled against Chris and stole his pink Nintendo with a flick of his wrist.

"Oh, c'mon! That's not fair!" Chris yelped. "You know you can always snatch it away." He complained, grievance coming out of his voice. Chris then stared jealously but curiously towards Daniel's face, and the game.

Daniel quickly made it to the end of the next level in the following ten minutes, clearing the villains away faster than Chris had last time they played together. The blonde boy, who was pouting since a while ago, had clutched to Daniel's arm and leant his head against his shoulder, watching him win the 2d game with ease.

"Sorry to snatch your DS away. Hearing you struggle in the same bit made me feel pity. And restless." He excused himself, his eyes focusing harder than ever in clearing the level out for Chris, who had tried to finish the stage with ravel.

"It's okay." Chris mumbled, huddling up comfortably against Daniel, who had bent legs and busy hands. His leg slid in between the triangle that the brunette's leg formed, tangling again their legs like they had always done, in a more comfortable and calm way than they had ever done before.

"You okay?" Daniel asked, looking at him for a second before hitting the hell out of a beast. He never pulled away from Chris's hands, though.

"Yeah. Kinda bored right now." He chuckled.

"It's okay. I'm nearly finished." Daniel quickly answered.

"Thanks." Chris said at last.

Daniel's left leg unfolded until it calmly raveled with Chris's, keeping his silence and trying to keep on gaming ignorantly. That same whirring sensation bugged little Daniel until that same old eerie feeling crawled into his stomach, making him feel emotionally dense.

"You failed." Chris commented with fun. "Game over."

Fuck. He had lost control over his character.

"Y-Yeah. Whatever. I'll try again."

Chris exhaled, rolling his eyes and sedately pressing the menu button with his finger, pausing the game. Daniel's heart had started beating a bit faster at the time, turning towards the blonde boy with a confused expression.

Chris yawned. "I'll finish it later, it's okay. Let's not waste our evening like this." He said, sitting on his butt and breaking their tangled legs position. Daniel quickly saved the game and closed the DS, handing the pink device to his friend.

Chris bent over his backpack to place the game inside. Then he took the walkie-talkies out (their secret mission's core element) and handed them over to Daniel, who placed them beside him. Chris then zipped the backpack close. He cocked his head to the side, removing his bangs away from his eyes. Then he stared towards Daniel, who was surprisingly and quietly observing him with an undecipherable expression. Hand on his chin and that same glitter in his eyes, like he lately had. Chris's heart skipped a beat without even being able to tell what was happening, and found himself unable to dislike it before he even knew what that even meant.

"Daniel?" He asked with a whisper.

"Yeah?" He mumbled back.

Silence. Chris's emotions betrayed him, making him breathe a little faster than before. _What was going on?_

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

Daniel's stare deepened.


End file.
